3D scanning the archaeological dog skeleton

A key component of Museum of Sydney’s interpretation is the archaeological remains of First Government House.

Visitors can view the foundations and brick barrelled drain from the bakery through a series of glass windows set into the floor of the foyer. Beside these are a series of in floor showcases displaying some of the archaeology found during various digs in the 1980s. Imported ceramic plates, charcoal from ovens, bones from cooking and window glass feature in the cases. With so many people walking through the foyer, the glass needs replacing from time to time.

This week we have been changing the glass over, giving us the opportunity to undertake 3D scanning of some of the key items from this display, including scanning the skeleton of a much-loved dog c1820 found buried on site.

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Tim Girling-Butcher

Tim Girling-Butcher

Head of Digital & Design

Tim leads a creative team of design, digital and multimedia specialists supporting the delivery of MHNSW activities across our physical sites and online platforms. He has over 25 years of experience working in the cultural sector in Australia and New Zealand. He has led multiple creative projects across a variety of platforms including exhibitions, programs and digital interpretation. Tim’s journalistic training, fixation with technology and passion for audience engagement drive him to find new and exciting ways to tell stories in his current role as Head of Digital & Design for MHNSW. Tim is a published author and exhibition curator.

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A short history of the Hyde Park Barracks

In the early 19th century, the Hyde Park Barracks was the central convict institution and crossroads for tens of thousands of convicts shuffled back and forth throughout the colony. It's now on the World Heritage list, recognised among the world’s most important cultural heritage places linked to forced migration, colony building and convict culture.

Stacks of convict-made sandstock bricks, recovered during underground excavations, Hyde Park Barracks, 1981.

Archaeology in action: Hyde Park Barracks

Occupied continuously by government institutions throughout its history and with over 100,000 individuals passing through, Hyde Park Barracks has a rich archaeological record

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Convict Sydney

Clay Tobacco Pipe

This tobacco pipe with its bowl in the shape of a man’s head was recovered by archaeologists at Hyde Park Barracks

Composite image of a clay pipe with a broken bowl, viewed from both sides
Convict Sydney

Clay tobacco pipe

There were 1500 fragments of convict-era clay tobacco pipes recovered by archaeologists from Hyde Park Barracks