Problems in constructing a prehistoric regional sequence: Holocene southeast Australia

Chronological sequences are as much a product of overall concepts as of data or techniques of dating. This is illustrated by a critical assessment of the foundations of a prehistoric regional sequence in Victoria and South Australia. Taphonomic and research biases structure the data and limit the potential for demonstrating long-term or cumulative change. Recent attempts to see a cumulative or unified progression in the area cannot be sustained. The short-term and local may be the more appropriate scales at which to identify and understand variation in hunter-gatherer societies.