A RARE discovery underneath the Kyalite Bridge has
archaeologists and Indigenous community members eagerly awaiting
answers.
Authorities and local Indigenous community members are currently
investigating the significance of a large shell midden, discovered under the
northern support of the Kyalite Bridge just over one year ago.
Shell middens
are areas where the debris from shellfish and other food has been left by
Indigenous people and accumulated over time.
Such sites can contain other
items of archeological and cultural significance such as tools and human
remains.
Office of Environment and Heritage archaeologist Harvey Johnston
said plenty of shell middens had been discovered at the other Riverina rivers,
but he couldn’t think of any previous discoveries on the Wakool river.
“A
shell midden is a rare thing along the Wakool…it’s fresh ground,” he
said.
“And Kyalite is in a gap without any good local understanding.
“So
this study will be the first one on the Wakool and it might shed light on the
region.”
For more on this story, see Friday’s edition of The Guardian (1/2/13)>
