Unearthing Geomorphological Clues

A combination of archaeological and geomorphic techniques was used to study erosionhazard at Aboriginal shell midden sites in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.In the absence of artifactual material, biological and taphonomic analyses were undertaken todetermine the likelihood a deposit was anthropogenic in origin. These analyses were also used togain an understanding of site formation processes.The relationship between, and relative influence of, anthropogenic and non-anthropogenicerosive factors at shell midden sites in different geomorphic settings was used to formulate threeerosion hazard assessment methods. Each method was designed to address the needs of a differentstakeholder group. The archaeological method includes analysis of the effects of bank erosion,cultivation, anthropogenic and biological excavation, wind and wave erosion. Erosive factors arecompared between sites and geomorphic settings. The rapid assessment technique designed for useby Aboriginal Land Councils and local Indigenous communities includes an Erosion Hazard Pro Formaand uses relatively simple geomorphic analyses which can be performed in the field. A handbookcontaining straightforward, user-friendly instructions on how to complete the Erosion Hazard ProForma is also included, along with a scoring system used to quantify erosion hazard and rank thestudy sites. A GIS model generated using soil, land use, vegetation and elevation data is also used toquantify erosion hazard and rank the study sites.