This is the sixth of twelve film titles documenting the Board for Anthropological Research (BAR) Harvard-Adelaide Universities expedition, during 13 May 1938 - 30 June 1939.
This expedition travelled through South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. For a listing of the locations visited by the expedition party see: JB Birdsell's 'Australian Daily Field Journal 1938-1939' (AA 689/1/1) and NB Tindale's Journal 'Harvard and Adelaide Universities Anthropological Expedition, Australia, 1938-1939' (AA 338/1/15/1-2).
'Fossil' is an unfinished film item documenting the BAR expedition to Talgai, Mona Mona, Palm Island, Lake Barrie, Yarrabah (Queensland), Cohuna (Victoria), Cape Barren Island (Tasmania), Brewarrina (New South Wales) and Mount Schank (South Australia).
The cinematographer was NB Tindale (AA 338) with possible involvement from both DM Tindale and BG Birdsell. See: (AA 346/9/13/1).
NB Tindale's annotations on the edge of the 16mm film, which usually records the subject, location and the dates of filming have been used to identify the many different locations found in this film.
This expedition film was previous held in the NB Tindale collection and was transferred into the BAR collection in December 2005.
The South Australian Museum Archives Master Preservation Tape (AA 346/9/13/6/2) consists of (AA 346/9/13/6/1). Duration 5 minutes 23 seconds.
The method adopted by BAR expeditions to undertake research and record the results involved assigning a unique number to each individual (here called 'individual subject number'). This number was given the expedition symbol as a prefix, and remained consistent throughout the research. This expedition was assigned the symbol 'N.' All individuals recorded during the expedition were assigned an individual subject number, for example [N611]. Where possible the 'individual subject number' of those who appear in film have been noted.
Please note that the time coded summary is in minutes and seconds. Following the summary of this film is a list of references and further notes. Formats Held: 16mm, SP Betacam, Digital Betacam, Access DVDs.
Summary (Time Coded): Taken from Access DVD 3 (AA 346/9/13/6/6)
00:00 Harvard Adelaide Expedition: 'Fossil,' 1938-1939
00:00 'Cultural Sensitivity Warning.'
00:00 'The Museum Board of South Australia © 1938-1939.'
01:00 Dalrymple Creek. Talgai, Queensland.
01:05 JB Birdsell (AA 689) examining the Talgai fossil site. Talgai, Queensland. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp.239-247.
01:14 Views of the terrain around the Talgai fossil site. Talgai, Queensland.
01:28 JB Birdsell examines the creek walls further evidence of fossils. Talgai, Queensland. See: NB Tindale journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), p.242a. See: NB Tindale's film notes (AA 346/9/27/6), Reel 8a.
01:41 Fresh-water shells discovered in the Cohuna beds. Cohuna, Victoria. 1938.
01:50 JB Birdsell speaks with GA Gray, discover of the Cohnua fossil. Cohuna, Victoria. 1938. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp84-88.
01:57 GA Gray and a second man digging a drain by driving a five horse plough and scoop. Cohuna, Victoria. 1938. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp.85.
02:15 JB Birdsell, BG Birdsell and GA Gray, search the ground for evidence of fossils. Cohuna, Victoria, 1938.
02:21 JB Birdsell examining a fragment, DM Tindale and GA Gray stand alongside. Cohuna, Victoria, 1938.
02:35 BG Birdsell searching amongst reeds on the river bank.
02:46 JB Birdsell measuring and examining the Cohuna skull, Institute of Anatomy, Canberra. 1938. Shot at a slow film speed. See further list of references at the end of this inventory. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp.115-117.
03:04 JB Birdsell examines flint implements. Cape Barren Island, Tasmania. 1939.
03:14 BG Birdsell finds a quartzite chopper [A27501] in situ. 'There were great jubilations and we filmed the site & the re-enactment of the finding of it.' Cape Barren Island, Tasmania. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/36), p.85. See also: NB Tindale's film notes (AA 346/9/27/6), Reel 31a.
03:28 Close up of the quartzite chopper [A27501] in the hand of BG Birdsell. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/36), p.86.
03:37 Stone fish traps in the river. Brewarrina, New South Wales, 1938. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp.150-151, and NB Tindale photographs (AA 338/5/15/4-5) and NB Tindale's film notes (AA 346/9/27/6), Reel 3e.
04:06 BG and JB Birdsell examine a campsite Mount Schank, South Australia. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp.787, 789, also NB Tindale's film notes (AA 346/9/27/6), 25b.
04:26 Close up of a quartzite chopper found by JB Birdsell.
04:38 Close up of spear holding method. This footage has been included in 'Pygmoid Natives of the Atherton Plateau, Queensland' (AA 346/9/13/1), Time Codes 13:36-13:42.
04:45 A Tjapukai man demonstrating spear holding method, Mona Mona Mission. Queensland. This footage has been spliced to the reel up side down. This footage has been included in 'Pygmoid Natives of the Atherton Plateau, Queensland' (AA 346/9/13/1), Time Codes 13:23- 13:36. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), p.543.
04:58 Two Australian Aboriginal men on the far banks of a river, one of whom appears to be removing a raft from the reeds. Palm Island, Queensland. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp.611-613. This footage has been included in the item Additional footage relating to Harvard-Adelaide Expedition: 'Pygmoid Natives of the Atherton Plateau, Queensland' 1938.' (AA 346/9/13/1/11) Time Codes 30:31-31:05.
05:03 Rainforest vegetation on the edge of Lake Barrie, Queensland. This footage has been included in 'Pygmoid Natives of the Atherton Plateau, Queensland' (AA 346/9/13/1).
05:31 Map of Queensland showing the Cairns Hinterland, a hand points out Mona Mona, Queensland. This footage has been included in 'Pygmoid Natives of the Atherton Plateau, Queensland' (AA 346/9/13/1).
05:36 An Australian Aboriginal woman with her new born child. Possibly at Yarrabah maternity hospital, Queensland. This footage is damaged and was not used in any final film productions.
05:43 Views of the Cohuna skull. Institute of Anatomy, Canberra. 1938.
06:04 A rat-kangaroo (Aepyprymnus rufescens ) Woorabinda, Queensland.
06:17 Fred Mandraby [N611] and Charles Hyde [N704] of the idindji people decorating shields. Yarrabah, Queensland. This footage has been included in 'Pygmoid Natives of the Atherton Plateau, Queensland' (AA 346/9/13/1/9). Time Codes 21:40-21:52. Additional footage can be found in Harvard Adelaide: Film Offcuts (AA 346/9/13/12/6), Time Codes 01:57-02:04. See: NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/15/1-2), pp. 461, 541, NB Tindale photograph (AA 338/5/15/67).
06:23 End of footage.