Archaeological Investigations in the Simpson Desert, Northern Territory

This paper presents the initial results of archaeological fieldwork conducted in the northwest and southwest part of the Simpson Desert, Northern Territory, Australia (Figure 7.1). The research includes archaeological reconnaissance, acquisition of controlled surface collections, and preliminary test excavations undertaken between 1973 and 1988. Our research in the Simpson Desert is primarily concerned with investigating the ways in which prehistoric Aborigines used the limited resources of this vast region.

This preliminary report describes archaeological reconnaissance carried out application of a sampling program base on the Southwestern Anthropological Research Group (SARG) systematic sampling design (Gumerman 1971, 1972; Hill 1971; Members of SARG 1974:107-116; Plog 1971:45-54, Plog and Hill 1971:7- 36), and gives the initial results of our investigation of sites 86A and 86B, adjacent dune-crest occupation sites located on the northwest edge of the Simpson Desert sandridges. Our report of this investigation is in preparation (Napton and Greathouse n.d.).