Message #259297

[Christiana Hanaman]

One of the challenges of the dig is that when the lake was formed in the 1960's excavated dirt was dumped on the island.

"Our ground-penetrating radar and sediment cores have picked up about a metre of this non-local topsoil. In our excavations we've found artefacts dating to this period," he said.
Springbank Island archaeology dig underway

Springbank Island dig site at Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin. Credit: Stuart Hay

"Remarkably a glass jar dating to this period survived underneath this earth and rubble. We're yet to find out what this contained. It's great to imagine one of the workers sitting down in 1963 with his sandwiches and jar of vegemite."

More than 100 ANU students will take part in the dig, which finishes with a public open day on Saturday 18 April.

Explore further: Radar search to find lost Aboriginal burial site