Atypicalsurfacescatterfoundwhenanolderlandsurfacehasbeenexposed
WhatareAboriginalSurface Scatters?
SurfaceartefactscattersarethematerialremainsofpastAboriginalpeople’sactivities.Scattersitesusuallycontainstoneartefacts,butothermaterialsuchascharcoal,animalbone,shellandochremayalsobepresent.Notwosurfacescattersareexactlythesame.
WhereareTheyFound?SurfacescatterscanbefoundwhereverAboriginaloccupationhas
occurredinthepast.
Aboriginalcampsitesweremostfrequentlylocatednearareliablesourceoffreshwater,sosurfacescattersareoftenfoundnearriversorstreamswhereerosionordisturbancehasexposedanolderlandsurface.
WhattodoifYouFindanAboriginalSurfaceScatter?
Donotdisturbtheplaceorremoveanymaterial.CheckwhethertheplacehasthecharacteristicsofanAboriginalsurfacescatter.Ifitdoes,recorditslocationandwriteabriefdescriptionofitscondition.Notewhetheritisunderthreatofdisturbance.
PleasehelptopreserveAboriginalculturalplacesbyreportingtheirpresencetothe Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria
Contact:
TheHeritageRegistrar
Office of AboriginalAffairsVictoriaPOBox2392
MelbourneVIC3001
Telephone:1800762003
What ProducedSurface Scatters?
SurfacescattersaretheremainsofpastAboriginalcampsitesandotheractivities.Aboriginalpeopleproducedandleftthescattermaterialinthecourseoftheirdaily
life.Activitiesthatproducedsurfacescattersinclude:
•manufactureofstoneimplementsforarangeofeverydaytasks;
•productionandmaintenanceofweapons,toolsandotheritemsmadeofwoodandbone;
•constructionofsheltersandhuts;
•preparationandconsumptionofmeals;
•preparationofclothesandblanketsfromanimalskins;
•socialandspiritualactivities.
Awayfromthecamp,activitiesthatproducedsurfacescattersinclude:
•woodchoppingandtheremovalofbarkfromtrees;
•preparationoflargeitemssuchascanoes;
•huntingandgameprocessing;
•gatheringandprocessingfruitandvegetables.
Scattersmaybetheremainsfromanumberofactivitiesinacamp,orfromjustoneactivityawayfromthemaincampsite.
Largesurfacescatterswithmanytypesofartefactsindicatefavouredcampingareas.Thesewereoftenresource-richareassuchasswamps,lakesorriverineenvironments.
Aboriginalpeoplereturnedtotheselocationsrepeatedly,stayedforlongerperiods,andundertookawiderrangeofactivities.Alargescattermayhavemanythousandsof artefactsandcovermorethanahectare.Therepeateduseofanareamayhaveleftadensedepositthatismanylayersthick,orahugescatterconsistingofartefactsfrommanyoverlappingoccupations.
Smallerplacesgenerallyresulted fromsingle,shortoccupationssuchasovernightcampsanddinnercamps.Someconsistofdebrisat
anactivityareaawayfromthemaincamp.Smallscattersmaycoveronlyafewsquaremetres,consistofonlyonelayerandcompriseonlyafewartefacts.Theycanbefoundanywhere,whereaslargerscattersarerarerinresource-poorareassuchascoastalplains,highlandsanddeserts.
What Other Factors ProduceSurface Scatters?
Scattersofnaturallyoccurringgravel,particularlyquartz,maybemistakenforAboriginalsurfacescatters.
Gravelusuallyhasroundededgesandoriginatesintheimmediatearea.Importedgravel,particularlyfromroadworkorbuildingconstruction,canalsobemistakenforsurfacescatters.Importedgravelhassharpedgesandanarrowsizerange,anditisusuallyfoundaroundearthworks.
WhyareAboriginalSurfaceScattersImportant?
SurfacescattersofartefactsareoneofthemostcommontypesofAboriginalplaces.TheyprovideimportantinformationaboutpastAboriginalpeople’ssettlementpatternsandlifestyles.
Someorganicmaterials(suchascharcoal,boneandshell)foundinscatterscanbedatedbyradiocarbondating.Thesedatestelluswhenpeoplewerelivinginaparticulararea.Artefactsinthesurfacescatterscanshowhow Aboriginalculturechangedovertime.Thepresenceofstonefromotherareascanindicatetrade,exchangeandcontactbetweendifferentgroupsthatlivedmanykilometresapart.
SurfacescattersareanimportantlinkforAboriginalpeopletodaywiththeircultureandpast.
AreAboriginalSurfaceScattersunderThreat?
Aboriginalsurfacescatterscanbedisturbedordestroyedbypeopleornaturalprocessessuchaswindandwater.Weatheringanderosioncandamageordisperseartefacts,
StoneArtefactslikethesearecommonlyfoundinVictoriansurfacescatters
ascantramplingbyhard-hoofedanimalsandrabbitburrowing.
Humanactivitiessuchasmining,roadbuilding,damming,clearingandconstructioncandisturbanddestroyartefactsites.
The Office of AboriginalAffairsVictoriarecordsthelocation,dimensionsandconditionofAboriginalscatters.Theaimis
tohaveapermanentphotographicandwrittenrecordofthisimportantpartoftheheritageofallAustralians.ManagementworksaroundAboriginalsurfacescatters,suchastheeradicationofrabbitsanderosioncontrol,helppreservetheplacesforfuturegenerations.
AreAboriginalSurfaceScattersProtected?
AllAboriginalculturalplacesinVictoriaareprotectedbylaw.Aboriginalartefactsarealsoprotected.
ItisillegaltodisturbordestroyanAboriginalplace.Artefactsshouldnotberemovedfromsite.
June2008
CopyrightStateGovernmentofVictoria2008.AuthorisedbytheVictoriaGovernment,Melbourne
ISBN978-1-921331-57-2
ThispublicationmaybeofassistancetoyoubuttheStateofVictoriaanditsemployeesdonotguaranteethatthepublicationiswithoutflawofanykindoriswhollyappropriateforyourparticularpurposesandthereforedisclaimsallliabilityforanyerror,lossorotherconsequencewhichmayarisefromyourelyingonanyinformationinthispublication.