Archaeological Investigation of Sealing Sites at Heard Island

A report and images taken as part of ASAC (AAS) project 380 - Archaeological Investigation of Sealing Sites at Heard Island.

Taken from the report:

From November 1986 to January 1987 the authors participated in the ANARE expedition to Heard Island. Our objectives were:

1) To undertake a survey of historic archaeological sites of Heard Island and to compile an inventory of sites.

2) At the request of the Antarctic Division to salvage certain sealing-era artefacts identified in the 1985/86 ANARE report as being at risk.

3) At the request of the Antarctic Division, to record the site of the historic ANARE station at Atlas Cove, to assess the significance of surviving site features and make recommendations for the conservation of significant elements.

4) To provide a report to the Australian Heritage Commission documenting the location, description and assessment of the various sealing and other historic places located during the 1986-87 expedition.

Sealing sites on Heard Island can be categorised into five types based on structural and functional differences. These five types are:

a) stone platforms
b) hut footings or ruins
c) occupied caves
d) barrels
e) grave

All types of sites are found on the various beaches around the island, except that stone platforms appear to be confined to the southern beaches, and only one grave is known.

本数据集包含ASAC（AAS）第380号项目——赫德岛封舱遗址考古调查项目所产出的报告与影像资料。

摘录自该报告的内容如下：
1986年11月至1987年1月期间，项目参与者参与了ANARE（澳大利亚国家南极研究探险队，Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions）前往赫德岛的科考远征，本次科考的目标如下：
1) 开展赫德岛历史考古遗址普查，并编制遗址名录；
2) 应南极署（Antarctic Division）要求，对1985/86年度ANARE报告中提及的存在损毁风险的封舱时期文物进行抢救性保护；
3) 应南极署（Antarctic Division）要求，对阿特拉斯湾（Atlas Cove）的ANARE历史科考站遗址进行记录，评估现存遗址遗迹的学术价值，并为重要遗存的保护工作提出针对性建议；
4) 向澳大利亚遗产委员会（Australian Heritage Commission）提交正式报告，记录并描述本次1986-1987年度科考期间发现的各类封舱遗址及其他历史遗迹，并对其价值进行综合评估。

根据结构与功能差异，赫德岛上的封舱遗址可分为五类，具体如下：
a) 石质平台
b) 小屋地基或废墟
c) 可居住洞穴
d) 储油木桶
e) 墓葬遗迹

除石质平台仅分布于岛屿南部海滩，且目前仅发现一处墓葬遗迹外，其余各类遗址均散布于赫德岛周边的各处海滩。