Irrawang Pottery facts for kids
In the years 1833 to 1856, a man named James King started and ran a pottery at a place called Irrawang. This area is in the lower Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. Today, this old pottery site is known as the Grahamstown Dam.
A pottery is a place where people make things like pots, plates, and other items from clay. They shape the clay and then bake it in a very hot oven called a kiln to make it hard and strong.
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Discovering the Irrawang Pottery Site
The old site of the Irrawang Pottery was uncovered starting in August 1967. This work was done by students and volunteers from the Archaeology Society of the University of Sydney. The project was led by Judy Birmingham, a skilled archaeologist.
What is Archaeology?
Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through digging up old sites and looking at the things people left behind. Archaeologists are like detectives who piece together clues from the past.
Digging Up the Past
The excavation at Irrawang continued for more than ten years. It was a big project that helped teach many future archaeologists. The main goal was to give students hands-on experience in how to properly dig up and study historical sites.
Impact on Australian Archaeology
This important project at Irrawang led to some big changes in Australia. It helped create the Australian Society for Historical Archaeology in 1970. This society helps people who study historical archaeology in Australia. Also, a special course in historical archaeology was started at the University of Sydney in 1974. This meant more students could learn about studying Australia's own past through digging.
