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Mike Smith, desert archaeology and museums

Friday 8 February 2013
National Museum of Australia

Dr Mike Smith AM is a pioneering desert archaeologist, an author and a Senior Research Fellow at the Research Centre at the National Museum of Australia. His research and teachings have been inspirational throughout Australia and the world. Mike's career is virtually synonymous with the development of Australian desert archaeology as a field. Mike Smith's profile

Distinguished archaeologists, historians, artists and museum staff reflected on and celebrated Mike Smith’s 30 years of work in desert archaeology and museums. During the day we heard riveting stories of adventure and participated in lively discussions on contemporary archaeology and its contribution to museums.

View publications on display at the Compleat Archaeologist

A tribute to Dr Mike Smith AM

A tribute to Mike Smith's work, by Andrew Sayers, Director of the National Museum of Australia. Features an introduction by Peter Stanley and a poetry reading by Mark O'Connor.

Mark O'Connor's 'Poem about Mike' post

Audio and transcript available of the 'A tribute to Mike' session

Inventing Australia's desert archaeology

Speakers June Ross, John Mulvaney, Barry Cundy, Giles Hamm and Chris Turney reflect on their time teaching and working with Mike Smith, and the developing field of desert archaeology in Australia.

Audio and transcript available of 'Inventing Australia's desert archaeology' session 

A portrait of Mike Smith

Artist Jo Bertini talks about her portrait of her friend and colleague, Mike Smith. Jo also outlines Mike's great passion for desserts, and presents a book of dessert recipes compiled by his friends.

Audio and transcript available of 'A portrait of Mike Smith' session 

A stratigraphy of an archaeologist

Former colleagues and collaborators, Philip Jones, Peter Veth, Anne McConnell and Dick Kimber, investigate the layers of Mike Smith's career. They discuss some of the projects and digs through which Mike developed his knowledge of the human past in Australia, and how museums have contributed to mainstream knowledge of desert archaeology.

Audio and transcript available of the 'A stratigraphy of an archaeology' session

'The lost art of stratigraphy' lecture by Mike Smith - videos and transcripts

Paintings by Mandy Martin

Artist Mandy Martin reflects on her work with Mike Smith. Mandy and Mike worked together in multi-disciplinary teams studying the Puritjarra rock shelter in the Northern Territory and Paruku, or Lake Gregory, in north-eastern Australia.

Audio and transcript available of the 'paintings by Mandy Martin' session 

Museums, Mike and more

Libby Robin, Jay Arthur, Allan Whiting, Diana James and Tom Griffiths reflect on their travels and work with Mike Smith. Mike has worked in deserts and museums, has journeyed on camels and in four-wheel drives, formed partnerships with artists and Indigenous communities, and extended his reach and understanding. Those who travelled with Mike reflect on what he, and they, learned on the way.

Audio and transcript available of the 'Museums, Mike and more' session

Photographs by Peter Eve

Photographer Peter Eve reflects on an expedition into the remote southern Simpson Desert that he shared with Mike Smith. Peter praises Mike's ability to bring the buried landscapes and humanities of deep time to life. Includes a slideshow of Peter's photographs.

Audio and transcript available of the 'Photographs by Peter Eve' session 

View the 'Into the Desert' blog from Mike's Simpson Desert expedition

Open Mike

Peter Stanley chairs an open mike session at a tribute to Mike Smith. Includes contributions from Calogero Santoro and Isabel McBryde, with a response from Mike Smith.

Audio and transcript available of the 'Open Mike' session

Other memories and musings