Unhas Archaeology Students Present a Range of Studies on Cultural Preservation at the 2025–2026 Academic Year Proposal Seminar
Makassar, 15 June 2026 — The Archaeology Programme at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Hasanuddin University, has once again organised a Final Project Proposal Seminar for the 2025–2026 academic year. This event showcased a diverse range of student research topics reflecting the direction of contemporary archaeological studies in Indonesia.
An analysis of the seminar participants’ list revealed that the theme of cultural conservation and preservation was the primary focus of students’ research, accounting for approximately 32 per cent of all proposals. This research encompassed efforts to preserve museum artefacts, megalithic remains, and the conservation of keris blades and materials from historic buildings. The dominance of this theme demonstrates the students’ commitment to the preservation of the national cultural heritage.
Furthermore, prehistoric archaeology ranked second with a percentage of 27 per cent, highlighting the cultural dynamics of early humans through the analysis of rock art, Toalean stone tool technology, and studies of vertebrate fauna. The themes of ethnoarchaeology and cultural biography also received attention, such as research into the Mappadendang tradition in Barru and the biography of Balla Lompoa in Gowa, which underscore the close relationship between archaeology and the social life of communities.
Several students explored themes such as Islamic archaeology and tombs, maritime and underwater archaeology, as well as visual archaeology and archives, which enriched the spectrum of research through interdisciplinary approaches. The distribution of these themes was visualised in the form of a pie chart, illustrating diverse research interests that remain rooted in the values of cultural preservation and sustainability.
"This diversity of themes demonstrates that Unhas Archaeology students have developed a sensitivity to issues of conservation and the social relevance of archaeology"
— Dr. Khadijah Thahir Muda, M.Si., one of the supervising lecturers.
| No | Research Theme Category | Example Proposal Titles | Number of Students | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cultural Conservation and Preservation | Conservation studies of shadow puppets, keris blades, megalithic remains | 6 | 32% |
| 2 | Prehistoric Archaeology | Analysis of cave paintings, Toalean stone tool technology | 5 | 27% |
| 3 | Islamic Archaeology and Burial Sites | Analysis of gravestones and tomb structures of Labonggo | 1 | 5% |
| 4 | Maritime and Underwater Archaeology | Distribution of World War II underwater sites | 1 | 5% |
| 5 | Ethnoarchaeology and Cultural Biography | Mappadendang tradition, biography of Balla Lompoa | 2 | 11% |
| 6 | Architectural and Building Material Archaeology | Adaptation of church materials, spatial layout of Candi Jedong | 2 | 11% |
| 7 | Visual and Archival Archaeology | Analysis of glass plate negative archives | 1 | 5% |
| TOTAL | 18 | 100% |
This proposal seminar served not only as an academic forum but also as a platform for students to strengthen their analytical, methodological and scientific communication skills. With research directions becoming increasingly contextual and multidisciplinary, the Archaeology Programme at the Faculty of Humanities, Unhas, remains committed to producing graduates capable of contributing to the preservation of the nation’s cultural heritage.