Inscribing the Plains: Constructed, Conceptualised and Socialized Landscapes of the Hay Plain, South Eastern Australia

Abstract

This study utilises several theoretical perspectives and analytical scales to examine the constructed, conceptualised and socialised landscapes of the Hay Plain, characterised by the mounded cultural deposits, regionally known as 'mounds', 'earth mounds' or 'oven mounds'. Mounds are found in widely separated areas of Australia, with a major concentration on the Hay Plain and adjacent Murray Riverine Plain. Previous archaeological research into mounds has frequently failed to investigate explanatory relationships or investigate the dynamics of human behaviour. This study examines three major themes, each with different approaches and analytical scales.