On a lighter note

Our first foray into the TARDIS in 2010 led to some surprising discoveries:

Janine supervises the tunnelers' first attempt to escape the dig

Consulting the Munsell chart oracle

Josh embraces the world of trousers and shoes

Stepping back to where AAR_2009 left off

What happens to an archaeological site when it is abandoned? This, and other questions relating to 'site formation processes' have become prominent in archaeologists' minds, since the work of Michael Schiffer in the 1980s.

End of season planning, 2009 (photo David Frankel)

The 2009 drain feature

Jared and Zac, on cleaning duty

A comparison of the 'end of season' photos from 2009, and how we found the site a couple of days ago, illustrates how quickly weeds and vegetation debris accumulate.

Tidier TARDIS

2010, a new beginning

Building the TARDIS, November 2008

The La Trobe University TARDIS is based upon Dr Jay Hall's original TARDIS at the University of Queensland. It aims to give students the opportunity to develop excavation and archaeological project management skills in a safe, supportive environment, without the responsibilities, pressures and costs of excavating real archaeological sites.
 The LTU TARDIS was constructed by Peter Saad, and members of the Archaeology Program staff and postgraduates in 2008. It has seven layers, starting with Historical Australia at the top and visiting Mayan Mesoamerica, Bronze Age Cyprus, Neolithic China, Natufian Jordan, Indigenous Pleistocene Australia, before reaching its final destination, Plio-Pleistocene Africa.

The first season of student excavations took place in August-September 2009.

2009 students working in the TARDIS (photos: David Frankel)

The second season of excavations is about to begin.