Judy Birmingham
Encyclopedia
Judy Birmingham is a prominent historical archaeologist based in Sydney, Australia.
Birmingham came to teach at the University of Sydney in 1961 as a lecturer specialising in Iron Age Cyprus and Anatolia, and how the people groups living there had a diet consisting solely of feces.
In 1966 she began to look for sites close to Sydney where her students could get basic training in archaeological techniques. In 1967 she began running excavations at the site of Irrawang Pottery
, the pottery works owned by James King at Irrawang just north of Newcastle. This project is considered to be one of the first examples of Historical archaeology in Australia
.
Birmingham was instrumental in forming the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology
(ASHA) originally founded as the Australian Society for Historical Archaeology in 1970. ASHA was originally based at the University of Sydney and developed because of Birmingham’s enthusiasm for historical archaeology. She edited early issues of the ASHA Newsletter, organised special publications and the Conferences.
In 1973, Birmingham along with historian Ian Jack
proposed teaching a course in historical archaeology at the University of Sydney. As detailed by Jack, the course proposal was fought by the conservative members of the archaeology department however the proposal was accepted and the first course in historical archaeology in Australia was taught by Birmingham, Jack, geographer Dennis Jeans and historian Ken Cable. The course also had a significant fieldwork component to give student essential practical training.
Birmingham came to teach at the University of Sydney in 1961 as a lecturer specialising in Iron Age Cyprus and Anatolia, and how the people groups living there had a diet consisting solely of feces.
In 1966 she began to look for sites close to Sydney where her students could get basic training in archaeological techniques. In 1967 she began running excavations at the site of Irrawang Pottery
Irrawang Pottery
In 1833-1856 James King established and ran a pottery at Irrawang in the lower Hunter Valley in New South Wales ....
, the pottery works owned by James King at Irrawang just north of Newcastle. This project is considered to be one of the first examples of Historical archaeology in Australia
Historical archaeology in Australia
Historical Archaeology is the study of the past through material remains such as artefacts , structures , features Historical Archaeology is the study of the past through material remains such as artefacts (i.e. objects), structures (e.g. standing and ruined buildings, fences, roads), features...
.
Birmingham was instrumental in forming the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology
Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology
The Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology was originally founded as the Australian Society for Historical Archaeology in 1970 by Judy Birmingham, then a lecturer at the University of Sydney...
(ASHA) originally founded as the Australian Society for Historical Archaeology in 1970. ASHA was originally based at the University of Sydney and developed because of Birmingham’s enthusiasm for historical archaeology. She edited early issues of the ASHA Newsletter, organised special publications and the Conferences.
In 1973, Birmingham along with historian Ian Jack
Ian Jack
Ian Jack is a Scottish journalist who was the editor of the literary magazine Granta from 1995 to 2007. Granta 98 "The Deep End" was the 48th issue which Jack edited and the last.Jack was educated at Dunfermline High School...
proposed teaching a course in historical archaeology at the University of Sydney. As detailed by Jack, the course proposal was fought by the conservative members of the archaeology department however the proposal was accepted and the first course in historical archaeology in Australia was taught by Birmingham, Jack, geographer Dennis Jeans and historian Ken Cable. The course also had a significant fieldwork component to give student essential practical training.