The race against time: Salvaging Brisbane's early history
In a sterile office, a young woman, Emily Totivan, is piecing together fragments of Brisbane's past. She's an archaeology student, meticulously assembling ceramic shards from dinner plates used by people in the early days of Brisbane's transition from a penal settlement to a river port capital. These plates, adorned with intricate blue and white patterns, depict a serene scene of pagodas, willows, and swallows, inspired by Chinese art.
Totivan describes her work as a challenging yet rewarding puzzle. As a generation born into the era of artificial intelligence and climate crisis, she and her peers are not just studying the past but actively engaging with it.
Despite popular culture's fascination with archaeologists uncovering ancient tombs and treasures, many of her peers will work in major cities, unearthing artifacts like these plates. Totivan, from Maryborough, has never been influenced by Indiana Jones, preferring to focus on the real-world applications of archaeology.
Brisbane is on the cusp of a salvage archaeology boom, preparing for the 2032 Olympics. This event will require extensive soil excavation for new infrastructure, including a proposed 63,000-seat stadium on a heritage-listed site. University of Queensland students, including Elisha Kilderry, are working on various projects, from cataloging artifacts to bone and genome analysis.
Kilderry, passionate about the past since childhood, studies genetics and archaeology. She initially envisioned her career in Europe or remote Indigenous digs but now sifts through the William Street assemblage, a collection of everyday items from the 1870s to 1990s. Working alongside her are fellow students, forming clusters around various artifacts, with many more eager to join.
Lecturer Dr. Caitlin D'Gluyas highlights the joy of teamwork in archaeology, emphasizing the intimate and intense nature of the work. The William Street assemblage was not unearthed by excavation but discovered during the 2011 floods when a burst water main dislodged tens of thousands of artifacts.
The University of Queensland Archaeological Services Unit (UQASU) worked alongside emergency crews, salvaging unusual items and those offering insights into everyday life. Despite the lack of scientific value due to the violent dislocation of artifacts, the museum acquired them for their emotional significance.
John Duckett, a 21-year-old student from Rockhampton, volunteers for digs, valuing the physical and local aspects of archaeology. He contrasts the experience of playing video games with the thrill of touching artifacts from ancient times.
The artifacts from William Street, while not scientifically valuable, hold emotional significance, allowing us to connect with the physicality and weight of history.
