The Mystery of the Oatlands Scrimshaw Walking Cane

The Launceston Historical Society’s talk for September is entitled, ‘The Mystery of the Oatlands Scrimshaw Walking Cane’, presented by Louise Zarmati.

In January 2019, Dr. Louise Zarmati led a team of five teachers in the excavation of the 1827 Oatlands guard house site. The aim of the excavation was to provide teachers with an immersive professional learning experience of working on an authentic archaeological dig. But what was expected to be a mundane, clean-up and training dig, suddenly changed on the last day when a beautifully carved scrimshaw walking cane emerged from the dirt & rubble that covered the demolition site.

Dr. Louise Zarmati is a Senior Lecturer on Education at UTAS. She has a Master’s Degree in archaeology & heritage management from the University of Cambridge & has excavated at sites in Greece, Cyprus, Belgium & Australia. Her most recent excavations in Tasmania have been at Willow Court, Kerry Lodge & Oatlands.

Held in the Meeting Room, Queen Victoria Museum, Inveresk on Sunday September 18th beginning at 2:00pm.

All welcome. LHS members free, visitors $4.00  For more information email: launcestonhistory@gmail.com