Roger Llewellyn Dunmore Cribb (6 January 1948 – 24 August 2007) was an Australian archaeologist and anthropologist who specialised in documenting and modelling spatial patterns and social organisation of nomadic peoples. He is noted for conducting early fieldwork amongst the nomadic pastoralists of

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

, Turkey; writing a book on the archaeology of these

nomad A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...

s;CRIBB, R (1991) Nomads in Archaeology. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. pioneering Australian archaeology and anthropologies' use of

geographical information systems A geographic information system (GIS) is a type of database containing geographic data (that is, descriptions of phenomena for which location is relevant), combined with software tools for managing, analyzing, and visualizing those data. In a br ...

, plus genealogical software; and conducting later fieldwork documenting the

cultural landscape Cultural landscape is a term used in the fields of geography, ecology, and heritage studies, to describe a symbiosis of human activity and environment. As defined by the World Heritage Committee, it is the "cultural properties hatrepresent the co ...

s of the Aboriginal peoples of Cape York Peninsula.

Overview

Dr Cribb's life's work is the work of a practical, applied

social scientist Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of socie ...

CRIBB, R (2000) ''The Shell Eaters''. Early incomplete draft of an unpublished draft manuscript Roger Cribb was working on, but never finished. Cairns. Australia who firmly believed anthropological

model A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the Plan_(drawing), plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a mea ...

s, grounded and

parsimoniously Occam's razor, Ockham's razor, or Ocham's razor ( la, novacula Occami), also known as the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony ( la, lex parsimoniae), is the problem-solving principle that "entities should not be multiplied beyond neces ...

applied, could reliably reach beyond our existing accumulated knowledge, into the

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

past of some of our oldest cultures in some of the more sparsely populated regions of our world: i.e. the

nomadic pastoralists Nomadic pastoralism is a form of pastoralism in which livestock are herded in order to seek for fresh pastures on which to graze. True nomads follow an irregular pattern of movement, in contrast with transhumance, where seasonal pastures are fix ...

(Turkey)CRIBB, R (1982) ''The archaeological dimensions of near eastern nomadic pastoralism : towards a spatial model of unstable settlement systems'' Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of South Hampton, United Kingdom and the gatherer-hunters of Cape York, (Australia).CRIBB, R; WALMBENG, R; WOLMBY, R & TAISMAN, C (1988) Landscape as cultural artefact: shell mounds and plants in Aurukun, Cape York Peninsula. Australian Aboriginal Studies. Number 2. Pages 60-73CRIBB, R (1996b) ''Shell mounds, domiculture and ecosystem manipulation on western Cape York Peninsula''. VETH, P & HISCOCK, P (eds) Archaeology of northern Australia: regional Perspectives. Tempus: archaeology and material culture studies in anthropology. University of Queensland, St Lucia. Volume 4. Pages 150-174 Dr Cribb's research practice was to strive to undertake as much '

ethnographic Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...

' fieldwork as possible with the peoples whose

heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physical c ...

he wished to later unravel and reveal.CRIBB, Gulcin (2007) ''Eulogy: Roger's Memorial Service''
Cairns, AustraliaCRIBB, R (1987) ''Aurukun Archaeology and Plant Survey 1987''. Unpublished tapes and data sheets recording places and local experts descriptions of plants and places, deposited with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra His preference was to store his (and other peoples) data within purpose-designed databases,CRIBB, R & SUTTON, P (1988) ''The Aurukun database project''. Unpublished report to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. Canberra.CRIBB, R (1991d) ''Aboriginal Heritage in Queensland: Some Suggestions on the Collection, Control and Ownership of Data and Information: A Preliminary Discussion Paper.'' Unpublished paper prepared for the Tharpuntoo Legal Service Aboriginal CorporationCRIBB, R (1995) Towards a Strategy for the Management of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in the Wet Tropics. in FOURMILE, H; SCHNIERER, S; & SMITH, A (Eds) An Identification of Problems and Potential for Future Rainforest Aboriginal Cultural Survival and Self-Determination in the Wet Tropics. James Cook University's Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Participation, Research and Development. Cairns, Australia. Pages 36-53. and then apply small, efficient purpose-designed

computer program A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to execute. Computer programs are one component of software, which also includes documentation and other intangible components. A computer program ...

s to analyze the data and distill, reveal, confirm, plus extrapolate social and environmental organising principles and patterns.CRIBB, R (1985) ''The analysis of ancient herding systems: an application of computer simulation'' in BARKER, G & GAMBLE, C (Eds) Beyond Domestication in Prehistoric Europe. Investigations in Subsistence Archaeology and Social Complexity. Academic Press. New York. Pages 75-106.CRIBB, R (1986b) ''Introducing the Concept of a Dedicated Spatial Analysis Package for Archaeology''. Archaeological Computing Newsletter. Number 9CRIBB, R (1993) ''Modelling relationships : a computerised approach to Aboriginal genealogy, family history and kinship studies''. Australian Aboriginal Studies. Number 1. Pages 10 - 21 Organising principles and patterns 'discovered', were reapplied back into the original physical and biological landscapes, tested if possible, then extrapolated back in time It is perhaps unfortunate that mid-career, for both mental and physical health reasons,BOYD, Peter (2007) ''Eulogy for Dr Roger L. D. Cribb''
Cairns, Australia Dr Cribb found himself and his broader projects (in Cape York) having to proceed without academic patronage or funding. From the early 1990s onwards Dr Cribb became increasingly disengaged from academic communities of scholars, tending to work instead within the

grey Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

(unpublished) fringes of more commercially driven (less '

pure Pure may refer to: Computing * A pure function * A pure virtual function * PureSystems, a family of computer systems introduced by IBM in 2012 * Pure Software, a company founded in 1991 by Reed Hastings to support the Purify tool * Pure-FTPd, F ...

') research projects and programs.CRIBB, R (2000) ''An Assessment of Comalco's Cultural Heritage Proposals''. Unpublished Report to the Cape York Land Council.CRIBB, R (1992)''Preliminary Report on the Excavation of an Aboriginal Midden Site at Bailey's Creek Mouth''. Unpublished report for Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd. Cairns, AustraliaCRIBB, R (1994) ''Report on Traditional Ownership and Aboriginal heritage: Wangetti Crocodile Farm Project''. Unpublished report to the Queensland Department of Lands. Rapid developments in computer technologies and programming quickly overtook him, yet he continued for many years to work in those areas, with those peoples whose

s he was most keen to understand, document, and help reveal to the world.CRIBB, R (2006) ''Getting Around: Mobility, Lifestyle and Culture among Indigenous People''. Unpublished seminar presented as part of James Cook University's School of Anthropology and Archaeology Seminar Program. Cairns, Australia From Dr Cribb's works and his writings, it can be seen '

terra nullius ''Terra nullius'' (, plural ''terrae nullius'') is a Latin expression meaning " nobody's land". It was a principle sometimes used in international law to justify claims that territory may be acquired by a state's occupation of it. : : ...

' myths offended his belief in pre-existing, largely unrevealed human heritage deeply imprinted into otherwise apparently 'empty'

landscapes A landscape is the visible features of an area of Terrestrial ecoregion, land, its landforms, and how they integrate with Nature, natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionar ...

CRIBB, R (1991B) ''Getting into a flap about shell mounds in northern Australia : a reply to Stone''. Archaeology in Oceania. Volume 26. Number 1. Pages 23-25CRIBB, R (1991c)'' One lousey matchbox : a review of the Aboriginal Land Act 1991, Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991 procedures manual : a discussion paper.'' Unpublished paper prepared for the Tharpuntoo Legal Service. Cairns, Australia. It might be said, Dr Cribb's most enduring professional contribution over a lifetime, was his work to counter all sense of 'terra nullius by recording large archaeological landscapes; facilitating archaeological heritage protection; and revealing forever the richness, density and vastness of some of the

s still persisting in Anatolia (Turkey), and Cape York (Australia).

Chronology of works

* CRIBB, R (1974) ''Patterns of Racial Ideology: An Analysis in Terms of the Conflict Theory of Society.'' Unpublished Masters Thesis in Anthropology and Sociology, University of Queensland. Brisbane, Australia *CRIBB, R (1982) ''The archaeological dimensions of near eastern nomadic pastoralism : towards a spatial model of unstable settlement systems'' Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of South Hampton, United Kingdom. *CRIBB, R & WESTERN, J.S (1983) ''Cribbie: past community structure and the impact of resettlement on the inhabitants of

Cribb Island Cribb Island was a former suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, which is now part of the site of Brisbane Airport and part of the suburb of Brisbane Airport. The suburb was the childhood home of the Gibb brothers, who later became famous ...

, Brisbane''. Unpublished report to the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Communications. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia *CRIBB, R (1984) ''Greener Pastures: Mobility, Migration and the Pastoral Mode of Subsistence''. Number 14. Pages 11–46 *CRIBB, R (1984) ''Computer simulation of herding systems as an interpretative and heuristic device in the study of kill-off strategies.'' in CLUTTON-BROCK, j & GRIGSON, G (ed) Animals and Archaeology: Early Herders and their Flocks. British Archaeological Reports (B.A.R). Oxford. *CRIBB, R (1985) ''The analysis of ancient herding systems: an application of computer simulation.'' in BARKER, G & GAMBLE, C (Eds) Beyond Domestication in Prehistoric Europe. Investigations in Subsistence Archaeology and Social Complexity. Academic Press. New York. Pages 75–106. *CRIBB, R (1986a) ''A graphics system for site-based anthropological data''. Australian Aboriginal studies. Number 2. Pages 24–30 *CRIBB, R (1986b) ''Introducing the Concept of a Dedicated Spatial Analysis Package for Archaeology''. Archaeological Computing Newsletter. Number 9 *CRIBB, R (1986c) ''When the Tide Came in : Pleistocene-Holocene Sea-Levels, Archaeological Catchments and Population Change in Northern Australia.'' in DAY, M; FOLEY, R, & RUKANG, Ru (Eds) The Pleistocene Perspective: World Archaeological Congress, Southampton 1986. Allen & Unwin. London. *CRIBB, R (1986d) ''Sites, people and archaeological information traps: a further transgressive episode from Cape York''.

Archaeology in Oceania ''Archaeology in Oceania'' is a triannual peer-reviewed academic journal covering prehistoric and historic archaeology, especially concerning Australia, the islands of the Pacific Ocean, and the western Pacific Rim. The journal is published by Wi ...

'. Volume 21 Number 3. Pages 171-176 *CRIBB, R (1987) ''Aurukun Archaeology and Plant Survey 1987''. Unpublished tapes and data sheets recording places and local experts descriptions of plants and places, deposited with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra *CRIBB, R (1987) ''A preliminary report on archaeological findings in Aurukun Shire, western Cape York.'' Queensland archaeological research. Number 3. Pages 133-158 *CRIBB, R (1988) ''Report to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies on the results of the 1987 Aurukun shell mound trip''. Unpublished Report to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra. *CRIBB, R & SUTTON, P (1988) ''The Aurukun database project.'' Unpublished report to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. Canberra. *CRIBB, R; WALMBENG, R; WOLMBY, R & TAISMAN, C (1988) ''Landscape as cultural artefact: shell mounds and plants in Aurukun, Cape York Peninsula''. Australian Aboriginal Studies. Number 2. Pages 60–73 *CRIBB, R & MINNEGAL, M (1989) ''Spatial analysis on a dugong consumption site at Princess Charlotte Bay, North Queensland.'' Archaeology in Oceania. Volume 24. Number 1. Pages 1–12 *SUTTON, Peter, MARTIN, David, von STURMER, John, CRIBB, Roger & CHASE, Athol (1990) ''Aak: Aboriginal Estates and Clans between the Embley and Edward Rivers, Cape York Peninsula.'' 1000 pp Restricted Access Publication. South Australian Museum. Adelaide, Australia *CRIBB, R (1990) ''Archaeology of Mount Mulligan: A Quick Reconnaissance''. Unpublished report to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Canberra *CRIBB, R (1991a) Nomads in Archaeology. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge *CRIBB, R (1991b) ''Getting into a flap about shell mounds in northern Australia : a reply to Stone.'' Archaeology in Oceania. Volume 26. Number 1. Pages 23–25 *CRIBB, R (1991c) ''One lousey matchbox : a review of the Aboriginal Land Act 1991, Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991 procedures manual : a discussion paper.'' Unpublished paper prepared for the Tharpuntoo Legal Service. Cairns, Australia. *CRIBB, R (1991d) ''Aboriginal Heritage in Queensland: Some Suggestions on the Collection, Control and Ownership of Data and Information: A Preliminary Discussion Paper''. Unpublished paper prepared for the Tharpuntoo Legal Service Aboriginal Corporation *CRIBB, R (1991e) ''Archaeological assessment of the Spalenka Dunefield, ATP 3968M, Mining lease 1383, Cape Flattery Silica Mines Pty Ltd'' Unpublished Report prepared for Hopevale Community Council and Tharpuntoo Legal Service, North Queensland, Australia *CRIBB, R (1992)''Preliminary Report on the Excavation of an Aboriginal Midden Site at Bailey's Creek Mouth''. Unpublished report for Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd. Cairns, Australia. *CRIBB, R (1993) ''Modelling relationships : a computerised approach to Aboriginal genealogy, family history and kinship studies''. Australian Aboriginal Studies. Number 1. Pages 10–21. *CRIBB, R (1993) ''Report to A.N.P.W.S and the Kuku Djungan Aboriginal Corporation on the Ngarrabullgan Heritage Survey Project: 21 May - 31 August 1993.'' Unpublished Report to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service. Canberra. *CRIBB, R (1994) ''Report on Traditional Ownership and Aboriginal heritage: Wangetti Crocodile Farm Project''. Unpublished report to the Queensland Department of Lands. *CRIBB, R & HOLLINGSWORTH, L (1994) ''Report to the Wet Tropics Authority for the Wangetti Management Plan: Aboriginal Heritage''. Unpublished Report for the Yirrganydji Tribal Aboriginal Corporation (in association with the Djbugay peoples). Cairns, Australia *BAILEY, G; CHAPELL, J.B; CRIBB, R (1994) ''The origin of Anadara shell mounds at Weipa, North Queensland, Australia.'' Archaeology in Oceania Volume 29 Number 2. Pages 69–80 *CRIBB, R (1995) ''Towards a Strategy for the Management of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in the Wet Tropics.'' in FOURMILE, H; SCHNIERER, S; & SMITH, A (Eds) An Identification of Problems and Potential for Future Rainforest Aboriginal Cultural Survival and Self-Determination in the Wet Tropics. James Cook University's Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Participation, Research and Development. Cairns, Australia. Pages 36–53. *DAVID, B; GRAINER, J.R; WASON, S; GRAINER, E; GRAINER, J I & CRIBB, R; (1995) ''Ngarrabullgan: archaeological sites and the management of a Kuku Djungan place.'' In WARD, Graham & WARD, Lucina (Eds) Australian Rock Art Research Association, Occasional AURA Publication. Number 9. Pages 53–60. *CRIBB R (1996a) ''An Assessment of the Definition of National Estate Boundaries for Groups of Shell Mounds on the Weipa and Andoom Peninsulas.'' Unpublished Report to Comalco Aluminium Inc, the Australian Heritage Commission, and the Cape York Land Council *CRIBB, R (1996b) ''Shell mounds, domiculture and ecosystem manipulation on western Cape York Peninsula''. VETH, P & HISCOCK, P (eds) Archaeology of northern Australia: regional Perspectives. Tempus: archaeology and material culture studies in anthropology. University of Queensland, St Lucia. Volume 4. Pages 150-174 *CRIBB, R (2000) ''An Assessment of Comalco's Cultural Heritage Proposals''. Unpublished Report to the Cape York Land Council *CRIBB, R (2000) ''The Shell Eaters''. Early incomplete draft of an unpublished draft manuscript Roger Cribb was working on, but never finished. Cairns. Australia *CRIBB, R (2006) ''Getting Around: Mobility, Lifestyle and Culture among Indigenous People''. Unpublished seminar presented as part of James Cook University's School of Anthropology and Archaeology Seminar Program. Cairns, Australia.

External links

In Memoriam - Roger Cribb

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cribb, Roger Australian archaeologists Australian anthropologists Cultural landscapes 1948 births 2007 deaths 20th-century archaeologists 20th-century anthropologists