Roonka Archaeology

The Roonka site was excavated by former SA Museum staff member, Graeme Pretty from 1969 to 1984. This extensive open site excavation began at Roonka Flat on the Murray River, Lower Murray Valley region, South Australia. Excavation focused on a series of low, deflated sand dunes. A significant amount of stone tools, animal bones, shellfish and other organics were retrieved through excavation. Roonka is best known as a burial site and approximately 200 individuals were retrieved from the main excavation trenches. Occupation and burial cluster between 4,000 to 7,000 years ago, but the oldest burial is associated with an OSL date of 20,000BP. The site was occupied into post contact times, as witnessed by the presence of pearl buttons and a clay pipe with one burial.