In this presentation, Caiti D’Gluyas explores the intersection of archaeological research and legacy collections through the lens of ‘care’ at Port Arthur Historic Site. Drawing on more than a decade of research across Australian convict sites, including at Point Puer and the First Prisoner Barracks at Port Arthur, Caiti explores a researcher’s perspective of what happens to archaeological evidence after it is discovered. This talk aims to pull back the curtain on the archaeological process, revealing how archaeologists engage with legacy data.
By examining the challenges of accessing and preserving archaeological collections across Tasmania and New South Wales, Caiti invites us to see Port Arthur not just as a place of history, but as a living legacy that requires our ongoing care and attention. She provides an insightful look at how careful documentation and data sharing shape our ongoing relationship with Australia’s significant convict heritage landscape.
About the presenter: Caiti D’Gluyas is a Lecturer in Archaeology at The University of Queensland. Her research combines archaeology, cultural heritage and history to examine the impacts and outcomes of British colonisation on people in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. With more than 12 years practical experience on archaeological investigations, Caiti has worked on a variety of archaeological projects across Australia and further afield in the United Arab Emirates and Norfolk Island in both research and industry settings.
Feature image: Clay pipe fragments recovered from the First Prisoner Barracks at Port Arthur (Courtesy: PAHSMA)