Biosis is excited to host the 2025 edition of the Sydney Historical Archaeology Practitioners Workshop (SHAP). The event will be held on Friday 23 May at the The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence. This year’s theme is ‘The future of investigating the past – archaeology as a diminishing resource’.
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SHAP’25 is presented as part of National Archaeology Week (18 – 24 May 2025).
Ticket sales now open
Historical archaeology professionals, academics and students are invited to attend SHAP’25 to share and learn from best practice, innovations and technology, and recent projects in NSW.
Ticket prices include attendance at all sessions, all day tea and coffee, morning and afternoon tea, lunch, SHAP’25 goodie bag, and a complimentary drink at Mountain Culture after the event.
Numbers are strictly limited to 100, to secure your spot head to the SHAP’25 page on Humanitix by clicking the button below:
Call for abstracts
The Future of Investigating the Past – Archaeology as a Diminishing Resource
Archaeology has always grappled with the paradox of its own practice: to uncover the past, we must disturb or destroy it. Traditional excavation methods, though systematic and rigorous, are inherently invasive—displacing artefacts and digging through contexts in order to interpret what we find. Over time, research questions have evolved, shifting from a singular site or local approach to more nuanced, multidisciplinary inquiries. However, the finite nature of the archaeological record and the accelerating pace of development through pathways designed to ‘cut the green tape’ mean that the archaeological resource is shrinking faster than ever, and with it, our chances to answer new and emerging questions about the human past.
As archaeology becomes an increasingly scarce resource, we need to reflect on how the practice has already shifted and consider how the discipline could further adapt. Technological advancements have the potential to enable more non-destructive methods of investigation, helping us preserve while we analyse. The future of archaeological research may rely less on digging and more on…what? With less ground left to break, archaeology must become more strategic, precise, and innovative in the way it interrogates and conserves the past within the confines of consulting and academia.
Abstract submission information
The program for SHAP’25 will include 20-minute and five-minute presentations, to submit an EOI for either length please follow the details below.
- Due date: Tuesday 29 April, 2025.
- Submissions to: shap2025@biosis.com.au.
- For 20-minute presentation submissions: please include presentation title, an abstract of 150 – 300 words, presenter and co-author names, and company affiliation.
- For five-minute presentation submissions: please include presentation title, a brief blurb about your presentation, and company affiliation.
Don’t forget! Presenters must attend the event if their paper is accepted.