[Aqualist] Indigenous Fellowship Opportunities

[Sanja Van Huet]

HI Everyone,


I have a unique opportunity that I am not sure how to proceed with.  I am looking for ideas, possible collaboration and expressions of interest - in the view of student involvement and potential joint projects between institutions.


Lancefield is a late Quaternary site where the presence of megafauna has long been known of.  There have also been a number of artefacts found at the site - but their association with megafauna has not been established.  The depositional environment has been studied but no definitive conclusion has been reached.


Thus there is potential for palaeontological, palaeoecological, sedimentological and archeological studies.


Last year the Lancefield Park Management Committee held the Lancefield Megafauna Festival, and a bigger version is planned for this year.


I have been asked to do a 'demonstration dig' over 4-5 days at the Lancefield Classic Site (there are 3 identified sites in the area) toward the end of November this year - with a 'public viewing' on the last day.  I have excavated other sites in the areas previously.  There has been discussion with the Park Management Committee regarding future plans for the site.


Essentially - it would be wonderful to see the site preserved as a study resource where groups from Universities and research organisations could use the site for research and project work but also for training potential earth scientists in field work and data collection - under experienced   supervision.


The site could remain open so that excavation can occur without the need to continually remove overburden.  The channel would be covered with sand bags that would be easily removed and would protect any of the bone material exposed.   Securing the site from fossickers and vandals would need to be considered.


Could you please forward this to anyone you think may be interested in being involved, and also if you want to know more or  be involved with this fledgling project.


Kind Regards

Sanja Van Huet





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