[NHCOLL-L:3534] Torres Strait dugong bones (pre-1950)

[Ian McNiven]

TORRES STRAIT DUGONG BONES REQUIRED

Recent archaeological research in Torres Strait (NE Australia) has 
revealed large ritual mounds of dugong bones made by Torres Strait 
Islanders over the past 400-500 years. These mounds are associated with 
hunting magic and in some cases contain the remains of more than 10,000 
dugongs. Our archaeological team from Monash University is determining 
the age of the mounds by radiocarbon dating dugong bone. However, we 
have a problem. Because the dugong is a marine animal, it ingests 'old 
carbon' which makes the bones radiocarbon date older than they actually 
are. A correction factor has been determined for marine shell dates for 
Torres Strait but we need to calculate a separate correction factor for 
dugong bones. To do this requires radiocarbon dating bones of known age 
that were collected before atmospheric contamination by A-Bomb testing 
(i.e. before 1950). Does anybody have in their museum collections dugong 
bones collected from Torres Strait before 1950 that you also know where 
collected from dugong carcasses (i.e. to be sure of the time of death)? 
If you do, the next question is - Are you happy to donate a small sample 
of these bones for our radiocarbon dating research? Obviously full 
acknowledgement will be provided in any publications. Thank you.

regards, Ian

Please respond to:
Dr Ian J. McNiven
Programme for Australian Indigenous Archaeology
School of Geography & Environmental Science
Monash University
Clayton VIC 3800
AUSTRALIA
ian.mcniven at arts.monash.edu.au

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_______________________________________________
Dr Ian J. McNiven
Senior Lecturer
Programme for Australian Indigenous Archaeology
School of Geography & Environmental Science
Monash University
Clayton VIC 3800
AUSTRALIA

ph   +61 3 9905 8465
fax  +61 3 9905 2948