Your topic sounds very interesting. I wonder if others (e.g. material
culture experts, "folklore" types) have not already studied the
subject.

Perhaps you could expand your research statement to be on "The
Archaeology of Emphemeral Sites" and then add some other but similar
type of site to the "lude location" category. Perhaps short lived
camp sites - tourist camping. Others may have some other suggestions.
This would elevate the topic. Some military sites, for example, are
emphemeral but perhaps that is different. You are probably thinking
of a site visited briefly but again and again over time.

                                        Bob Schuyler


At 01:20 PM 1/23/2002 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear HISTARCH:
>
>This post goes out specifically to the Australian members of the list. .
>.
>
>I'm getting ready to apply to postgraduate archaeology programs in
>Australia and (MA by research), and am in the process of narrowing down
>my research interests.  One of my ideas for a project is to look at the
>historical archaeology of local party spots--those places where people
>(generally the youth of the community) go to build bonfires, fool
>around/fornicate, and get blitzed on liquor they're too young to have
>legally.  Some of these sites, at least in NSW and Tas. could
>potentially date as far back as the days of the currency lads (and
>lasses).
>
>My problem--which I'm posting to the list in search of some help--is
>that I'm having trouble narrowing this down to a specific research
>problem.  I doubt I'll get very far in my applications by explaining my
>research interest as "yeah, I think that it would be kinda cool to look
>at the archaeology of party spots."  I'm not necessarily asking people
>on the list to hand me a platter full of formulated research questions,
>I'm just looking for some thoughts that might point me in the right
>direction.  What sorts of useful information do you think such a study
>might yield?  Also, do any of our Australian list members know of any
>professors (in Oz) who might be interested in taking on this sort of
>project?
>
>Thanks very much, folks!
>
>
>Kris Farmen
>Northern Land Use Research, Inc.
>Fairbanks, Alaska
>
Robert L. Schuyler
University of Pennsylvania Museum
33rd & Spruce Streets
Philadelphia, PA l9l04-6324

Tel: (215) 898-6965
Fax: (215) 898-0657
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