ABSTRACT

The nineteenth century was also the time during which the understanding of human history and ethnographic variability was fundamentally reconfigured through a complex interaction between the emerging fields of archaeology and anthropology. The discovery and dating of the human remains – that became affectionally known as Mungo Lady – fundamentally changed the perception of the deep human past of Australia and influenced the global academic community. In the context of modern human origins, there have been a small number of valuable contributions, which can be linked to elements in postcolonial critique and can be explored further. Archaeological and palaeoanthropological approaches to human origins are seemingly not well equipped to participate in the discussions and reflect on social complex interrelationships. The understanding of human origin needs to embrace diversity; ontological, philosophical, epistemological, methodological diversity to reflect human diversity, or, rather, the diversity of life itself. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.