The course will focus broadly on the rock art of the Indo-Pacific region (including near and remote Oceania and Australia). It aims to give students a glimpse into the extraordinary diversity of art across this vast region, from the earliest Pleistocene expressions through to the more recent past. It will examine the questions that archaeologists grapple with and their theoretical underpinnings, such as ‘in what context was this art produced?’ and ‘who made the art?’ It will also consider how we explore more pragmatic questions such as ‘how was this art made?’, ‘what materials were used to make it?’ and ‘how old is it?’. The course will provide students with an understanding of the methods that archaeologists use to establish the composition of pigments and the age of rock art. Finally, the course will look at how archaeologists partner with local communities and Indigenous groups to ensure that cultural values are respected and that rock art research meets the highest ethical standards. Threats to rock art and how these might be managed or mitigated will also be discussed.
In addition to the review of rock art, theory and methods the course will provide students with practical skills in rock art recording, an understanding of issues pertaining to the management and conservation of rock art, and a grounding in current techniques used to better ‘see’ and reproduce rock art for publication when the pigment is faded or otherwise deteriorated.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of rock art across the Indo-Pacific region.
- Describe the way in which archaeologists date rock art using both relative and absolute dating techniques.
- Describe the methods used to record rock art in the field.
- Explain threats to rock art sites and ways in which archaeologists can work with local communities to mitigate these threats.
- Demonstrate the value of working ethically with local communities.
- Reflect on and articulate their own viewpoint on an aspect of Indo-Pacific rock art.
Other Information
This intensive 6 unit course will be taught over two weeks (eleven working days) and will include lectures, practical classes, a day trip to rock art in the Royal National Park and 2 half-day excursions to Gubur Dhaura Heritage Park and the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.
Students with an Education Access Plan (EAP) will be accommodated with alternative activities and/or assessments where required.
Required additional student contribution: approximately $100 per student to cover bus fare to Royal National Park. This is an assessable component of the intensive course. Final costs may vary slightly depending on final enrollment numbers & bus charter costs.
Reading materials will be released one week prior to the beginning of the intensive course.
Indicative Assessment
- Workbook (20) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Quiz 1 (5) [LO 1,2]
- Quiz 2 (5) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Critique and Discussion of Two Scholarly Articles (800 words) (20) [LO 1,6]
- Essay (2000 words) (50) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
This course requires 130 hours, including class time and self-study.
5 hours of in class work each day for 10 days as well as 10-15 hours reading and class preparation each week in preparation for the lectures and practicals (pdfs to be posted on Wattle). Essay development and writing will be done after the in-class (intensive) portion of the course.
Inherent Requirements
To complete this course, students must participate in the field trip to a domestic field location. To participate in the trip, students must be able to:
- Travel to the field location;
- Monitor and manage their own health while studying with a small group of people at the location, which may be isolated;
- Understand and respect the needs of other participants and act professionally throughout the trip.
Students who cannot meet these requirements will not be able to participate in the trip and therefore cannot complete the course.
In addition, some of the trip options may require students to:
- Safely traverse 2-3km over uneven ground at a moderate pace.
Students who can provide evidence they are unable to meet this requirement may be able to choose other options or negotiate alternative participation and assessment requirements with the course convenor.
If you have any questions regarding your course and the requirements it has for successful completion please contact either the course convenor for specific information or the relevant college and/or school mobility team.
Prescribed Texts
Pdfs of scholarly articles for each day’s sessions will be posted on Wattle in advance.
Preliminary Reading
David, B. and I. McNiven (eds) 2018. The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology and Anthropology of Rock Art. Oxford University Press, USA [available online via ANU Library]
McDonald, J. and P. Veth (eds) 2012. A Companion to Rock Art. Wiley Blackwell. [available online via ANU Library]
Morwood, M.J. 2002. Visions from the Past: The Archaeology of Australian Aboriginal Art. Allen and Unwin, Sydney, NSW. [on course reserve at the ANU Library - Menzies]
Taçon, P.S.C. and Chippindale, C. 1998. The Archaeology of Rock-Art. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [available online via ANU Library]
Assumed Knowledge
An understanding of basic archaeological techniques such as radiocarbon dating is helpful but not required.
For those without any archaeological background who wish to undertake this course, additional readings will be made available via the Wattle page prior to commencement of the intensive classes.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Summer Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1336 | 01 Jan 2026 | TBA | TBA | 31 Mar 2026 | In Person | N/A |