Chae Byrne
My Western Desert journey began in 2014, with the re-excavation of Karnatukul at Katjarra (McDonald et al. 2018), a site holding over 50,000 years of human history. As an archaeobotanist specialising in ancient wood charcoal, I was offered a unique opportunity to explore the evolving relationship between people and their environment through time. I have built on this earlier research with the help of a Berndt Foundation grant, and collaboration with the Desert to the Sea project.
Charcoal Stories: the re-excavation of Karnatukul
Charcoal analysis, or anthracology, reveals stories of past environments, vegetation shifts, and the enduring human connection to the land.
The 2014 Karnatukul re-excavation revealed human occupation dating back to c. 50,000 cal. BP, the earliest known presence in the Australian Western Desert (McDonald et al. 2018).
The anthracological analysis from Karnatukul provided insights into resource availability, fuelwood choices, mobility patterns, and collection strategies around this important Western Desert site (Byrne 2022). While species diversity fluctuated, there was persistent reliance on Acacia by Martu people. A variable presence of Callitris highlights the Ranges' role as a sanctuary for this fire-sensitive species. The research confirmed a remarkable 50,000-year human presence at this desert refuge, highlighting the ethnobotanical importance of Acacia and revealing evolving human adaptations to the Little Sandy Desert's abundant resources.
Collaboration and Discovery: the Journey at Birriliburu
During the Desert to the Sea project, I've been able to continue collaboration with the Traditional Custodians of the Birriliburu Indigenous Protected Area, returning to Katjarra several times. I'm deeply grateful for this ongoing, meaningful collaboration and the chance to connect with this thriving Country. While anthracological data provides invaluable insights, it is the Traditional Ecological Knowledge and collaboration which gives the data importance.
Sharing the Journey: Martu Visit to UWA and the Wood Atlas
A crucial aspect of this work involves sharing the intricacies of anthracology with the community. Martu women, Rebecca Anderson and Danette Holland, visited the UWA Archaeobotany Lab in November 2024, fostering deeper understanding amongst the wider community.
Over several strong cups of Bushells, we yarned about plants, using the beautiful Birriliburu Bush Tucker book (Long et al. 2023) as a way of remembering Country, the connections between different types of plants and where they grow. We talked about the different species identified in the archaeological record, and just as interesting, those which are completely absent (for example, Grevillea and Hakea).
In the lab, Rebecca and Danette learned to use the microscope and looked at the wood anatomy of Grevillea, Acacia, and Callitris charcoals. It was great to be able to show them how and where the wood samples we collected on Country were processed and archived in the UWA Archaeobotany reference collection. This shared experience was an important bridge between archaeological methods and traditional knowledge.
Looking toward the future
While the Berndt Foundation Award has ended, I'm excited to continue this collaborative journey with the Martu community through the Desert to the Sea project, to understand the intertwined stories of people and landscape. The anthracological study from charcoals in another Katjarra site (being undertaken by Honours student, Leia Corrie) will contribute significantly to understanding Holocene human-environmental interactions in the Little Sandy Desert.
Acknowledgements
I am sincerely grateful to the Berndt Research Foundation for their generous funding and their invaluable investment in the advancement of Archaeobotany in Western Australia. To the Martu people of the Birriliburu IPA - thank you! - for your continued hospitality on Country and your enthusiastic sharing of knowledge about plants and the landscape. A big thanks to Justin McKinnon and the Desert Support Services team for facilitating collaboration between UWA and Martu. Finally, my deep appreciation goes to the Desert to the Sea team, including Jo McDonald, for the continued opportunity to engage in this meaningful work connecting plants, people, and Country.
References
Byrne, C. 2022. The Dream vs. Reality: Application and Examination of Anthracological Methodologies to Diverse Northwestern Australian Archaeological Sites. Addressing the Problems and Potential for Australian Archaeology, Including the Important Role of Acacia. Unpublished PhD Thesis. The University of Western Australia, Crawley.
Long, L; Ashwin, G; Cutter, R; Bingham, K; Williams, G; Williams, A; Long, C; Williams, R; Birriliburu Rangers, Westcott, V; Shipway, S. 2023. Birriliburu Bush Tucker. Birriliburu Pty. Ltd, Wiluna. (Burke, 2004)
McDonald, Jo et al., ‘Karnatukul (Serpent’s Glen): A New Chronology for the Oldest Site in Australia’s Western Desert’ (2018) 13(9) PloSOne e0202511.
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