This thread has been very interesting as typically in Australia evidence of
worked glass is presumed to indicate evidence of culture contact with
Aborigines. Clearly from some contexts this is so, but in others, this
evidence is often at odds historical evidence. The uses of glass described
in the thread have been interesting especially as in frontier situations
where there is scarcity one might expect glass to be recycled as a wood
working tool. This is also the situation where interaction between stone
using Aborigines and Europeans would have been greatest. So there is some
rethinking necessary.

We do know of course that telegraph insulators were used as cores for
Kimberly points a bifacial heavily flaked point which was highly prized in
the North of Australia. The Overland Telegraph
provided a limitless source of insulators for point production as of course
missing ones had to be replaced.

As Editor of  Australasian Historical Archaeology I would be interested in
an article or short on the use of glass scrapers in woodworking particularly
if there is good illustrative material. Anybody interested could email me
off the list.

Iain Stuart
Principal, Archaeology and Heritage Management
HLA-Envirosciences Pty. Ltd.
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