It is not widely appreciated that Armidale is home to Australia’s most important collection of ancient Cypriot antiquities. They are part of UNE’s Museum of Antiquities, which was founded in 1959 by the late Professor Maurice Kelly.
However, the Museum deals with much more than Cyprus. Its scope includes other parts of the Mediterranean, as well as ancient cultures across the world.
Every year the Museum of Antiquities holds a public lecture celebrating an aspect of the Museum’s collections.
This year’s lecture will be given by Dr June Ross, a University of New England archaeologist, on the subject ‘Australian Rock Art: A unique window to the past’.
Dr Ross originally trained as a graphic designer. An abiding passion for art led to a career change as an art educator, in both museums and tertiary institutions. Exposure to the Australian Aboriginal art phenomenon led her to a new career as an archaeologist specialising in Aboriginal rock art. She has undertaken numerous recording, dating and conservation projects across Australia.
Her lecture will explore three very different rock art ensembles from three very different environmental zones, including a series of painted anthropomorphic figures found amongst the ranges of northwest Queensland, ancient engrav-ings located across the central ranges and the vast sand ridge deserts of arid Central Australia and finally, the elegant Gwion and dramatic Wanjina figures of the rugged Kimberley in the tropical northwest of Australia.
The lecture is at 5.30pm on Thursday, October 25 in Education Lecture Theatre 2, UNE Education Building.
