Review of 'Index of Dates from Archaeological Sites in Queensland' by Ulm, S. and Read, J. Brisbane: University of Queensland. Queensland Archaeological Research Volume 12. (2000), xv + 129 pages. ISSN 0814 3021 (softback) price A$33 (including GST + A$7 post in Australia)

Abstract

The 'Index of Dates from Archaeological Sites in Queensland' is an important and timely publication, likely to be of particular value to scholars and other professionals investigating the archaeological history of the state and, more generally, Australia. The authors of the 'Index' also note the need for an easily accessible reference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and have presented the new volume in the hope that it will function as such (p. 1). The 'Index' is intended as a reference work only (i.e. there is no analysis of the data presented within), and has three primary aims (p. 1): to provide a comprehensive list of chronometric determinations for Queensland archaeological sites; to present basic information about these sites; and to provide a list of publications relating to the excavation, laboratory analysis, dating and interpretation of each of the indexed sites. All these aims are achieved admirably. The volume presents a total of 849 chronometric determinations from 258 archaeological sites in Queensland (including Torres Strait), to the end of the year 2000.