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New Technology ‘Tastes’ Food Cooked 3,000 Years Ago

May 24, 2004

Archaeologists at the University of New England are analysing traces of food
from 3,000-year-old cooking pots to help them understand population changes
in prehistoric Asia Minor.

Todd Craig, a postgraduate archaeology student at UNE, said the remains of
cooking pots unearthed at Gordium in central Turkey could help
archaeologists to date the arrival of a new population, eating different
kinds of food, some time between 1,200 and 1,000 BC. These new arrivals were
the Phrygians, who made Gordium the capital of their Anatolian kingdom.

Todd is using a technique that can analyse the molecular composition of tiny
traces of food (mainly fats) preserved on and within potsherds. Called
“liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry” (LC-MS), it uses a liquid solvent
to separate the molecules in a sample of material, and then classifies the
molecules according to their mass and polarity. The project has been made
possible by UNE’s purchase of new LC-MS equipment last year, at a cost of
$340,000, with the help of a $260,000 grant from the Australian Research
Council.

“This technology is allowing a new focus on the food people were eating as
an indicator of prehistoric population changes,” Todd said. “It can detect
the presence, thousands of years ago, of things like olive oil and wine that
don’t survive archaeologically. I’m hoping to find a significant difference
between what people were cooking in the Late Bronze Age and in the early
phases of the Iron Age.” Archaeologists believe this transition in Asia
Minor reflects the arrival of a new population (the Phrygians), rather than
a cultural evolution within a single population.

Todd’s project is part of an international research effort. His supervisor
at UNE, Dr Peter Grave, is undertaking a research project on Iron Age trade
and exchange in Anatolia.

The LC-MS equipment is installed in Chemistry at UNE. Chemistry’s Associate
Professor Stephen Glover said it gave UNE a capacity for this kind of
analysis equivalent to that of any leading university in Australia. “Todd’s
research is a good example of the diversity of problems, in a wide range of
disciplines, that it can help to solve,” Dr Glover said.

As part of its program of events marking National Archaeology Week, UNE’s
School of Human and Environmental Studies will present a banquet, “King
Midas’ Feast”, this Friday evening [21 May] at 6.30 pm, inspired by findings
in the tomb of that Phrygian monarch. At the feast, Dr Peter Grave will give
a talk about archaeology in Asia Minor. For tickets, contact Carmel Velleley
on (02) 6773 2145.

Media contact: Todd Craig, School of Human and Environmental Studies (SHES),
UNE (02) 6773 3527, Dr Peter Grave, SHES, UNE (02) 6773 2062, or Jim
Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049. A photograph of Todd Craig in
the laboratory is available. Please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by lcreedy at 04:02 PM

Carmen Lawrence to deliver Page Politics Lecture

May 24, 2004

Dr Carmen LawrenceDr Carmen Lawrence, Member for Freemantle, President of the Australian Labor Party and former Premier of Western Australia will deliver the 21st Annual Earle Page College Politics Lecture in the College dining hall at 8.30 pm on Thursday June 3.
The lecture held in conjunction with the discipline of Politics and International
Studies has attracted many high profile speakers in recent years including Senator Natasha Stott Despoja in 2000, Peter Garrett in 2001, The Hon Philip Ruddock in 2002 and Emeritus Professor Graham Maddox in 2003. The lecture follows a formal dinner for college members and official guests.

"We are delighted at the College that Dr Lawrence has accepted our invitation to deliver this year's Lecture,” said Master, David Ward “Her contribution to debate on
important issues affecting the nation has been significant over many years."
Dr Lawrence entered politics in 1986 by winning the seat of Subiaco, held by the Liberal Party for the previous 27 years and within two years became Minister for Education, adding Aboriginal Affairs as an extra portfolio in 1989.
She made history in 1990 by becoming Premier of Western Australia, Australia’s first female Premier, and following Labor’s defeat in 1993, its first female Opposition Leader.
In 1994 she entered Federal politics by winning the seat of Fremantle in a by-election and was appointed Minister for Human Services and Health and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women.
Following the defeat of the Keating Government in 1996, she became Shadow Minister for the Environment; the Arts and Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition on the Status of Women, posts she held until April 1997. In September 2000 Dr Lawrence was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation and Technology, and Shadow Minister for the Status of Women. She also held the Reconciliation, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs; the Arts, and Status of Women portfolios until December 2002.
Since her return to the backbench, Dr Lawrence has been an active and vocal peace campaigner, speaking at rallies and forums around the country.
As there are only a limited number of seats available, those wishing to attend the lecture should collect a seat ticket from the Earle Page College Office from Monday, 24th May.

Posted by lcreedy at 03:49 PM