The texture of agency: an example of culture-contact in central Australia

A regional historical archaeological analysis of Strangways Springs Station, northern South Australia, reveals the evidence for interaction in the period 1850-1900 between Aboriginal people and newly arrived European pastoralists. The evidence from campsites and worksites demonstrates differential Aboriginal involvement in the nineteenth century pastoral domain. The nature of cultural interaction changed as the pastoralists adapted and transformed their economic and social behaviour in response to the harsh Lake Eyre Basin environment and to economic and technical parameters related to the fledgling pastoral industry. The case study shows that archaeological and historical evidence each provide different perspectives on past culture contact and human agency