Geography and Archaeology of the Palm Islands and Adjacent Continental Shelf of North Queensland
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ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following work: O’Keeffe, Mornee Jasmin (1991) Over and under: geography and archaeology of the Palm Islands and adjacent continental shelf of North Queensland. Masters Research thesis, James Cook University of North Queensland. Access to this file is available from: https://doi.org/10.25903/5bd64ed3b88c4 Copyright © 1991 Mornee Jasmin O’Keeffe. If you believe that this work constitutes a copyright infringement, please email [email protected] OVER AND UNDER: Geography and Archaeology of the Palm Islands and Adjacent Continental Shelf of North Queensland Thesis submitted by Mornee Jasmin O'KEEFFE BA (QId) in July 1991 for the Research Degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty of Arts of the James Cook University of North Queensland RECORD OF USE OF THESIS Author of thesis: Title of thesis: Degree awarded: Date: Persons consulting this thesis must sign the following statement: "I have consulted this thesis and I agree not to copy or closely paraphrase it in whole or in part without the written consent of the author,. and to make proper written acknowledgement for any assistance which ',have obtained from it." NAME ADDRESS SIGNATURE DATE THIS THESIS MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIBRARY BUILDING ASD0024 STATEMENT ON ACCESS I, the undersigned, the author of this thesis, understand that James Cook University of North Queensland will make it available for use within the University Library and, by microfilm or other photographic means, allow access to users in other approved libraries. All users consulting this thesis will have to sign the following statement: "In consulting this thesis I agree not to copy or closely paraphrase it in whole or in part without the written consent of the author; and to make proper written acknowledgement for any assistance which I have obtained from it." Beyond this, I do not wish to place any restriction on access to this thesis. 15 July 1991 Mornee Jasmin O'Keeffe Date II ABSTRACT A preliminary investigation into the Aboriginal archaeology of the Herbert / Burdekin region of the continental shelf, northeastern Queensland, is approached (a) from the beginning of the Holocene transgression when sea level first overtopped the edge of the shelf at c. 13,000 BP; and (b) from the time of the apparent stabilisation of sea level at c. 6,500 years BP. A possible episodic rise in Holocene sea level, as evidenced by relic shorelines, is related to the palaeochannels of the Herbert and Burdekin Rivers to reconstruct the palaeogeography of the shelf during the low sea level of the last glacial period and subsequent Holocene transgression. Potential archaeological sites for future investigation are identified on the emergent landmasses of the Palm Islands. Antecedent platforms of modern reefs, sheltered sites around island land masses which existed at earlier shorelines and areas adjacent to former estuaries are suggested as potential underwater archaeological sites. While the patterning of late Holocene Aboriginal settlement on Orpheus Island, in the Palm Islands, is offered as a possibe recent analogue for earlier settlement on the continental shelf, it suggested that isolation by rising sea level at c. 7,500 BP created drastic environmental changes and triggered a divergence from modern mainland lifeways for the Palm Islanders. Evidence is drawn from preliminary habitat reconstruction, radiocarbon dating and small excavations of shell midden deposits on Orpheus Island. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my Supervisors Associate Professor John Campbell and Ms. Pauline Catt for their patient encouragement and help. I would also like to thank Associate Professor David Hopley for the use of his aerial photographs, and Dr. David Johnson for his advice and the use of his posthole digger. In the field Maria Neuhold, Jaymie O'Keeffe, Peter Graham, Leigh Norton, Nanette Steele and Mark Petersen were competent and cheerful assistants. Michele Bird kindly identified the shell species and helped with sorting in the laboratory, and Paul Goldsworthy identified the bone. James Knight described and drew the stone artifacts. I would also like to thank the Officers of the James Cook University Research Station on Orpheus Island, and the Field Officers of the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, Ingham, for their assistance in the field. iv CONTENTS page Statement on access Abstract Acknowledgements iii Statement on sources xii Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1. Study area and aims 1 1.2 Island ethnohistory 7 1.3 People of the Palms 12 1.4 Approaches to the study 14 Chapter 2 GEOPHYSICAL LITERATURE REVIEW AND SEA LEVELS 2.1 Review of the literature 16 2.2 Palaeogeography 24 2.3 Rates of sea level advances 38 Chapter 3 UNDERWATER PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY AND ISLAND ARCHAEOLOGY 3.1 Underwater prehistoric archaeology 42 3.2 Island archaeology 49 3.3 Approaches to the Holocene archaeology 52 Chapter 4 THE PRESENT PHYSICAL SETTING 4.1 The Palm Islands 55 4.2 Geomorphic equilibrium 58 4.3 Orpheus Island 60 Chapter 5 ARCHAEOLOGY OF ORPHEUS ISLAND OTHER THAN PIONEER BAY SOUTH 5.1 Archaeology of Orpheus Island 83 5.2 Pioneer Bay North 88 5.3 Other surveyed areas 96 Chapter 6 ARCHAEOLOGY OF PIONEER BAY SOUTH 6.1 The physical setting of Pioneer Bay South 111 page 6.2 Pioneer Bay South archaeological sites 114 6.3 Site description and analysis of PBS 3 122 6.4 Site description and analysis of PBS 5 133 6.5 Late post-glacial settlement pattern of Pioneer Bay South 139 6.6 Seasonality 140 Chapter 7 FISH TRAPS OF ORPHEUS ISLAND 7.1 General description of rock-walled fish traps 144 7.2 Wall heights 148 7.3 Date of construction 159 7.4 Location for other fish traps 162 Chapter 8 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 8.1 Pleistocene sites 168 8.2 Environmental changes 169 8.3 Holocene sites 171 8.4 Orpheus Island settlement patterns 173 8.5 Evidence from the language 175 8. 6 Communication with other islands and the mainland 178 REFERENCES 182 APPENDIX 1 Vegetation of the Palm Islands with an emphasis on Orpheus Island 207 APPENDIX 2 Gazetteer: location of archaeological sites on Orpheus Island 230 APPENDIX 3 Shell species recovered from the soundings on middens PBS 3 and PBS 5, Pioneer Bay South 239 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure page 1.1 Location map of the study area 2 1.2 Physical map of the Palm Islands 3 2.1 Past shorelines along the Herbert! Burdekin region of the continental shelf 20 2.2 Past shoreline c.15000 BP 25 2.3 Past shoreline c.12000 BP 26 2.4 Past shoreline c.11000 BP 27 2.5 Past shoreline c. 9500 BP 28 2.6 Past shoreline c.7500 BP 29 2.7 Horizontal displacement of shorelines along the palaeo- channel of the Herbert River 39 4.1 Geomorphology of the Palm Islands: (fold-out inside back cover of thesis) 56 4.2 Generalised vegetation of the Palm Islands: (fold-out inside back cover of thesis) 57 4.3 Geomorphology of Orpheus Island: (fold-out inside back cover of thesis) 61 4.4 Generalised vegetation of Orpheus Island: (fold-out inside back cover of thesis) 69 5.1 Archaeological map of Orpheus Island 86 5.2 Geomorphology of Pioneer Bay North 89 5.3 Archaeological sites of Pioneer Bay North and South 93 6.1 Geomorphology of Pioneer Bay South with bathymetry and drill hole sites 113 6.2 Geomorphology of beach ridge sequence in Pioneer Bay South with sites and soundings indicated 115 6.3 Site plan of PBS 1 and PBS 2 117 6.4 Stratigraphy of Midden PBS 1 postholes 120 6.5 Stratigraphy of Midden PBS 4 auger hole 123 6.6 Stratigraphy of Midden PBS 3 125 vii Figure page 67 Diagram showing the percentage by weight of dominant archaeological remains per spit in PBS 3 sounding 132 6.8 Quartz artifacts illustrated by James Knight 134 6.9 Stratigraphy of Midden PBS 5 136 6.10 Diagram showing the percentage by weight of dominant archaeological remains per spit (uneven) in PBS 5 auger hole 138 7.1 Fish trap on reef flat of Pioneer Bay South, Orpheus Island 146 7.2 Fish trap on reef flat of Pioneer Bay North, Orpheus Island 149 7.3 Comparison of Pioneer Bay fish traps with Scraggy Point, Hinchinbrook Island, fish trap complex 157 7.4 Transects across fish traps and possible fish trap in Pioneer Bay South as measured for 70 m from high water mark 164 App. 1.1 Vegetation transect A - B Orpheus Island 208 App. 1.2 Vegetation transect C - D Orpheus Island 213 App. 1.3 Vegetation transect E - F Orpheus Island 215 App. 1.4 Vegetation transect G - H Orpheus Island 216 App. 3..1 Spiny chiton and Trochus shell 246 App. 3.2 Turban shell and Nerite shell 248 App. 3.3 Spider shell 250 App. 3.4 Stromb shell and Murex shell 252 App. 3.5 Baler shell 254 App. 3.6 Cone shell 255 App. 3.7 Ark shell and Pearl shell 257 App. 3.8 Clam shell and Tapestry shell 259 viii LIST OF TABLES Table page 1.1 List of Manbarra words from Gribble (1932) 1.2 Manbarra names for the Palm Islands compared to the Aboriginal names given on the National Topographic Series (Lucinda, Palm Islands and Havanna Island sheets) 13 1.3 Shortest distances between the Palms and Magnetic Island as well as to the mainland 15 2.1 Horizontal displacement of shorelines along the palaeochannel of the Herbert River towards Orpheus Island as estimated from present bathymetry 31 4.1 Rainfall records for Lucinda, Pioneer Bay, Townsville and Cardwell 72 6.1 Shell species from the surface collection of PBS1 118 6.2 Weight of bone in grams per spit from PBS 3 126 6.3 Radiocarbon dates for PBS 3 and PBS 5 129 6.4 Percentage of shell by weight from PBS 3 131 6.5 Percentage of shell by weight from PBS 5 137 7.1 Stone size and volume estimation