27/05/2026
We were so pleased to have such wonderful speakers in our library for National Archaeology Week.
Thank you to Dr Vincent Clark Archaeology & Heritage Pty Ltd, The University of Melbourne Conservation Services, RBA Architects and Conservation Consultants and Ecology and Heritage Partners for lending us your knowledgeable staff!
And thank you to Australian Archaeological Association for your support of our events.
On Tuesday, Dr Vincent Clark Archaeology & Heritage staff Dr Michelle Negus Cleary, Ramona Angelico and Jaimi Houston, together with conservators Dr Holly Jones-Amin & Ma**ca Mucic of the Grimwade Conservation Services at the University of Melbourne celebrated National Archaeology Week with their presentation ‘Revealing the Hidden: Historical Archaeology and Conservation of Unique Artefacts from 19th Century Melbourne’ at the PMI Victorian History Library.
The event was attended by researchers, historians, educators, archaeologists, heritage professionals and members of the community interested in Melbourne’s history.
The talk presented the results of the archaeological investigations of two unique artefact discoveries. The first focused on the excavation and conservation of a rare timber barrel from Little Lonsdale Street, demonstrating how adaptive strategies can stabilise fragile objects while revealing historical evidence. The second find was the remarkable preservation of more than 200 shoes from the former West Melbourne Swamp that provides tangible insights into social identity, occupation and class of late 19th century Melbourne.
The talk focused on the collaborative process between archaeologists and conservators that provided excellent results for the recovery, documentation and stabilisation of fragile artefacts. The talk also increased awareness of the roles that archaeology and object conservation play in safeguarding cultural heritage.
Attendees enjoyed learning about the processes of archaeological investigation from the site to the lab. A particular highlight was seeing a sample of the conserved nineteenth-century shoes recovered from the former West Melbourne Swamp on display.
You can view the recording of the presentation here: http://bit.ly/4uPLbm5
Thank you to the PMI for hosting the event, to Heritage Victoria for their support and the Grimwade Conservation Services, University of Melbourne for their collaboration and the Australian Archaeological Association for their grant supporting the event.
