Dr. Ken Mulvaney

Biography

For thirty years, Ken Mulvaney has been engaged in field archaeology and anthropology, with a particular interest in Australian rock art. He is a member of the Australian Rock Art Research Association, having started in 1984 and serving as President from 2000 to 2009. His research primarily focuses on the Aboriginal association with images and sacred sites, along with ethnologies. Ken has worked extensively in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, participating in and managing archaeological excavations for over 40 years across diverse locations such as Australia, Africa, England, and Papua New Guinea. His experience includes being an anthropologist at the Sacred Sites Authority in Darwin, where he was involved in land claims and issues regarding pastoral lease excisions affecting Aboriginal communities. Between 1993 and 2003, he served as an Expert Adviser to the Northern Territory Coroner on matters related to Aboriginal human remains. Throughout his career, Ken has published numerous articles addressing various aspects of Aboriginal culture and archaeology, including twenty publications specifically focused on rock art. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from Sheffield University in England in 1980, followed by a Master's degree from Northern Territory University in 1997, and a PhD from the University of New England in 2010, focusing on the petroglyphs of the Dampier Archipelago. His work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, contributing to global efforts to address issues of cultural heritage and resource management.

Research Interests