Welcome to the ANU Department of Archaeology and Natural History

Ocean crossings and colonisation of Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania. Indigenous art production before and after European contact. Social and environmental threats to cultural history. Past climate change and its meaning for the future. Factors that influence social complexity. 60,000 years of change and adaptation in Australia. The origin of long water crossings by modern humans. Cultural implications of ancient clothing in Southeast Asia. Human impact on island and continental environments. At the ANU Department of Archaeology and Natural History, we use a multidisciplinary approach to find answers to important questions about prehistory and its implications for today's world.

Research in the Department of Archaeology and Natural History aims to understand prehistoric human societies, the environments in which they developed and the environmental consequences of human presence. Departmental research ranges from southeast Asia and the Pacific, through the tropical forests of New Guinea and the savannahs of Australia, to the islands of Oceania. See the current projects page for examples of the work being undertaken.

Field research in the Department is supported by well-equipped laboratories that are being fully updated and refurbished during 2009. This includes our state-of-the-art microscope facility for the analysis of pollen, charcoal, phytoliths and diatoms from ancient and modern sites. Our laboratories support research into prehistoric textiles, archaeobotanical remains, rock art, zoological material and ceramics. ANH houses the largest pollen reference collection in Australia, as well as excellent plant, bone, shell and ceramic collections. Wood and insect collections are held nearby. We also have access to world-class ANU facilities for archaeological dating, stable isotope analysis, and electron microscopy.

Postgraduate opportunities include PhD and Masters programs by research and a new Master of Archaeological Science program. Students have the opportunity to develop their own research agenda or to contribute to ongoing research within the department. Research funding is usually provided to students by the department, and other sources of funding are commonly available. We also have fieldwork opportunties for undergraduate and non-ANU students who want to be part of exciting new research that is improving our understanding of the past and how it shapes the future.