Kane Ditchfield

Kane Ditchfield is a Research Fellow in Archaeology within the School of Social Sciences at The University of Western Australia. His research primarily focuses on Australian archaeology, with particular expertise in Western Australia's archaeological record spanning the Pleistocene and Holocene periods.

His research interests encompass stone artefact analysis, archaeological site formation processes, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and the investigation of rock art. Dr. Ditchfield's work contributes significantly to understanding the long-term human occupation of Australia, particularly in the Pilbara region and Murujuga (Burrup Peninsula).

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on methodological approaches to understanding how soil processes affect archaeological materials, particularly stone artefacts in clay-rich environments. His work on the Juukan 2 rockshelter has provided critical insights into 47,000 years of continuous human occupation in Western Australia.

Dr. Ditchfield has secured research funding from organizations including Rio Tinto and the Australian Synchrotron, with projects focusing on archaeological landscape dynamics and identifying plant resin for hafting early Australian stone tools. His research has garnered significant attention, with mentions in numerous news outlets and social media platforms.