89 (w\th five tahles, two text-figun:s and one v1ate) The results of an archaeological reconnaissance of Tasman Peninsula are summarised, eight radiocarbon dates are reported and a prdimin�Jy outline of Aboriginal land use patterns is presented. Key \Vords: Tasman Penlnsula, Tasmania, Aboriginal occupation, archaeological survey. From SMITH, S.l. (Ed.), 1989: IS HISTORY ENOUGH? PA ST, PRESENT AND FUTURE USE OF HIE RESOURCES OF TA SMAN PENINSULA.Royal Society of Tasmania, Hobart: 89·-96. INTRODucnON Link is known of Aboriginal Oil the east coast from the historic accounts of recent The title of the symposium, "Past, present and future past. Several summaries are available which present use of the resources of the Tasman Peninsula", is the krlown infonTlation (Jones 1974, Brown 1986), particularly relevant to prehistoric Aboriginal These indicate that Tasman Peninsula was in the archaeology which relies on extant evidence to re�on- territory of the Oyster Bay Trihe, with the local struct past partems of use of the region, residence of one band situated at Eaglehawk Neck, It Our knowledge of the nature occupation is likely that this band, of fifty is almost entirely dependent upon the information exploited Tasman Penjnsula, the that can be retrieved from former campsites and the historical evidence we must rely on rubbish discarded there. Only those sites that have to attempt to discover the nature survived into the present can contribute to the data- base, This paper outlines a interpretation Tasman Peninsula is a very good area in which of Aboriginal land use on the results of a survey to of Aboriginal land use, as it has of parts of Tasman Peninsula and quite of landscapes within a relatively published radiocarbon elates for four coastal small area. There is a of "ecological niches", makc several asumptions in each wilh different for human occupation detenllining patterns of land use. Firstly, and exploitation. The configurationmeans that coastal we assume that sites are not randomly placed across types from the very exposed and the landscape but; rather, each sitc represents a choice through to Inland there a made by a group of Aboriginal who knew variety of terrain, There is their country welL Secondly, it is that thcse good for locating sites as many choices were made, in part at least, in to satisfy parts the eastern half are comprised of sandstone some basic human needs; shelter, freshwater, food, which, when eroded, fonns caves. these firewood, stone and other raw materials for tool· caves or rockshclters were camp sites of "'"'' '10",m, Thirdly, it is assumed that these needs are people alld the evidence of by the environment, and therefore by observed on the surface, understan,jiJlg that environment it is possible 10 recon- suli'ace of site locations werc made. The vj';ibilily accumulation of such understanding shouid lead to record at any one time, hypotheses about overall land lise of Tasman Peninsula. 90 D. Gaughwin FORESTIER NORFOLK PENINSUL A BAY Point We dge Is. D Hills. Coastal Plains. r::sJ� Survey Transect Coastal Margins: 111 1 111/11 AI High energy. mostly hard. A2{1J Me dium energy . hard shore. A2(2) . soft shore. o 10 km A3(1) Low energy. hard shore I I A3(2) . soft shore FIG. 1 - Tasman Peninsula showing transects and land units. Aboriginal land usc' 91 METHODS RESTjLTS AND DISCUSSION In February 1984 a field survey of parts of the peninsul.a wa, undertaken (Gaughwin 1985). The survey was conducted within three transects 'ivhich The greatest number of sites (78r}[) were located on a variety of landforms. the various coastal type� (table 2), Shell rniddens a numher of different eoa" were the Hlo'st ��te type although, plainsj swanlps and sandstone ridge interestingly, large number of shell and lithic SC;ttters country. CowrBge within the lransects was variable, '';'/en::, also (lable 3)0 The sites Vlere evenly primarily due to variations in ground visibility. distributed between lnediurn- and low·-energy shores Figure I indicates the transecls, with the but there was a preference for either hard shores figure 2 showing those areas considered Of those Gf mixed type where both rockplatform surveyed. and soft, sand Of mud, shores were availahle within Sites were recorded within three major a few hundred metres of the sire. This prctE�re]flCe analytical units: the Coastal (Unil A), the was further reflecwd in the shell content the sites, Coastal Plains (Unit B), and the (Unit C). These where rockplatform species including oysters, mussels were divided into a number of sub-units, such as, and walTener, predominated on both medium, and "high energy, hard shore coastal margin". These units "",,,,'np,-nv coasts. That more sites were associated are regarded as broadly homogeneous in terms of the shores is explained hy the greater resources available within them and hence their of marine resources on these flat and potential for human use. They are illustrated on tlgure weathered platfonns than on dolerite J and the resources likely to be present are listed in Artifacts manufactured from table 1. The survey located and recorded 72 sites were commonly found in sites on (fig. 2). Analysis of these siles has heen coasts where some sites had large detail 1985) and will only quantities of stone. with thousands of pieces here. recorded on the surface in several areas. �o stone The Land IJnits Land unit Likely resources UNIT A: COASTAL MARGINS A] High energy - hard shore Rock platfonn shellfish, ClUsmceans, fish, seabirds, (?)seals, seaweed A2 Medium energy - hard shore: Rock shellfish, crustaceans, fish, sandstone seaweed, edible plants, cherty hornfels, dolerite fresh water A2 Medium energy - sof] shore: Shellfish, fish, edible plants, fresh water sand A3 Low energy - hard shore: Shellfish; cnlstaceans, fish, seaweed, edible sandstone plants, fresh walel dolerite A3 Low energy - soft shore: Shellfish, edibk plants, fresh waler sarld sand and Inud UN!T H: COASTAL PLAINS Bl Well drained soils edible plants H2 Wetlands. swamps. lagoons eels, edible piants, fresh water UNIT C: HILLS C I Steep ann rocky Mammals, birds, reptiles, edible plants. chelty C2 Undulating hornfels 92 O. Gaughwin C14� . H09 � �. \ N Sloping Is . �.::-..-::.:':� ". Lagoon .: Beach NORFOL K BAY North West Poin t Head Outer North Head [)3 Area surveye d Sites .!eco((j�g · .. Middens • Rock sheffer Hand stencils. • LithiC scoffer. H,ghcroft 0 Other 5km I FIG. 2 - Site locations and areas surveyed on Ta sman Peninsula. itborig;nal land use 93 TABLE 2. Distribution of Aboriginal Sites with Respect to Lalla Units No. of sites Sub-units No. of sites UNIT A: COASTAL MARGlNS UNIT H: COASTAL PLAINS A I High �nergy -- hard shore 0 B 1 We ll drained soils 8 A2 Medium energy - hard 'hore: B2 etc. sandstone 6 8 (11%) dolerite 5 A2 Medium energy -- soft shore: sand 6 A2 Medium energy -- mixed shore: sandstone/sand 11 UNIT C: HILLS dolerite/sand } A3 Low energy --- hard shore: C 1 Valley floor 1 sandstone 4 C2 Slopes, sides I dolerite 3 C3 Ridge, hilltops o A3 Low energy soft shore: To tal hills 2 (3%) sand 0 sand and mud 3 A3 Low energy ---- mixed shore: sandstone/sand 0 OTHER sandstone/sand and mud 10 dolerite/sand 1 Mixed inland (uHits B and C) 6 (8%) dolerite/sand and mud 4 Total coast 56 (78%) artifacts were recorded in the oyster sites at low energy both flaked material with retouch and many cores. coasts. Small quantities of shell were found in these sites. Five islands, Dart, Hog, King George, Sloping Given the low levels of ground and hence and Wedge. were surveyed_ Six sites were recorded the low number of sites recovered in unit, It IS on Sloping Island, all of which were lithic scatters not to suggest specific uses of the coastal associated with varying amounts of sheiL The only plains at this stage. other cultural material observed on the islands, was two isolated artifacts found on Wedge Isiand. with the exception of Island, lise TABLE 3 islands was minor. I argued elsewhere that this may be due to the limiied range Relative Abundance of Different Types of of resources compared to the mainland. Sloping Island h",�,,,,i,,,,>1 Sites is the exception as not only are large numbers of muUonbirds but some good sources of cherty Site types No. (If % hornfels are on the beaches of the northwest sites coast. The availability of both of these resources -�-------�-----�------ seems to have made the 1.5 IT! voyage to this island Y Large shell midden 5 7 more attractive_ Linear midden 11 15 Partly deflated midden 1\ 11 Detlnted midden 19 26 Coastal Plains Shell and lithic scatter 10 14 Rockshelter with cultural The eight sites on the coastal plains were on well material 7 drained soils adjacent to wetlands. Ail of these sites 5 Lithic scatter 13 contained cherty homfels stone artifacts including 9 rockshelr£!r The re8uhs of this coastr;, while """",Ul' ''' shellfish, had amollllt� of chipped stolle indicating wider range of activities was undertaken at "iws, The oyster middens on low-energy coasts, on the to hffv'estone m1jfacis limited activity sites sicnilar f)D east coast. Utilir,ation of the coast relative inla.nd areas oj the useful the presence therefore, interesting til in sites inland as wt�Has on the A pwvided tbe best evidence. Here with loy./ densities of shell wef(� recorded within I llO iT'i of the sheH rniddens Roaring Further mland, ruckshehers ar ROO ill and up hDve Cthetls visible on the surface inciicatjng that: \vnen favourable inland cmnpite� available, hroad ran.ging set of foods, indwJing fi"iarine. \}/ere transported over long dl>;tance�.