An archaeological record of late Holocene activity and colonial impacts in the New England Tableland, New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

Since the 1970s, the New England Tableland—an extensive geological upland in New South Wales—has seen limited archaeological investigation. We present the results of a compliance-based archaeological excavation along the upper reaches of Dungowan Creek, 55 km southeast of Tamworth, which provides further insight into late Holocene regional human activity and the impacts of colonial invasion in the mid-19th Century on Indigenous people. Investigations included 216 m² of discrete test pits extending some 4 km along the creek’s edge, and two open area excavations (totalling 41 m²) focussing on key archaeological deposits. A total of 3,490 stone artefacts were recovered from the upper ∼50 cm of sediment, deposited from ∼5,500 years ago (5.5 ka) into the mid-20th Century, based on 20 optically stimulated luminescence ages. Artefact analysis indicates ongoing exploitation of regionally rare raw materials (serpentine, jasper and high-quality chalcedony) sourced from cobbles in the creek bed and used in tool-making, hunting, wood-working and regional trade. Activity peaked just prior to colonial invasion, followed by a rapid collapse in the early 19th Century corresponding with the arrival of introduced disease (e.g. smallpox) and intense frontier violence. Within ∼40 years, the archaeological record clearly reflects colonial impacts that resulted in the disruption to traditional lifeways, trade networks and seasonal movement, as well as population loss. This disruption persisted into the 20th Century, driven by the establishment of missions and reserves that forcibly removed Indigenous people from their Country. Importantly, contemporary oral history reveals continued use of the valley in the mid- and late-20th Century, representing a remarkable story of resilience and cultural revival. We highlight the importance of increased archaeological focus to the early colonial period to support reconciliation and truth-telling with Indigenous communities.