Linguistic anthropologist at the University of New England, Armidale, and the Australian Museum, Sydney. Graphic codes in Australia, Southeast Asia, West Africa. Book: The Last Language on Earth Research project: https://messagesticks.com.au/https://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3ml66esdca22pWas there ever another independent writing system in the ancient Middle East? "Curious sequences [that] ... would make more sense if the signs instead represented syllables..." Great work by Kelley and colleagues (and some supporting remarks from lesser-Kelly!): https://archive.is/pbVRm#selection-1181.0-1181.38206 May 2026 07:26 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml66esdca22phttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mk2l32xrqk2i"The origins and evolution of writing: A very brief synthesis" at Cambridge 16:30, 20th May. Zoom in, if you're in a compatible time zone!22 Apr 2026 03:37 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk2l32xrqk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mhzalnqodc2fHere is my response to the recent Bentz & Dutkiewicz paper on Upper Paleolithic marking systems and their presumed relationship to writing https://bravenewwords.info/2026/03/20/thoughts-on-humans-40000-y-ago-developed-a-system-of-conventional-signs/27 Mar 2026 04:07 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhzalnqodc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mhw6kd7v622yI endorse this excellent-looking project! [contains quote post or other embedded content]25 Mar 2026 22:52 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhw6kd7v622yhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mflrm6ovls2sUniversity of Western Australia's archeologists are smokin', especially Dr Bandit Heeler24 Feb 2026 08:44 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mflrm6ovls2shttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mfkgvgiqbc2bThis makes so much sense now [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Feb 2026 19:59 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfkgvgiqbc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mfflnp2o2s2cJudy Kroo (UniMelb) and Matt Tomlinson (ANU) are starting a #linganth reading group, modelling it on CaMP anthroplogy but for Oz time zones. It's called CaMP Down Under and will be zoomed on the last Friday every month at 10:30AM AEST. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/MqGx7HrVPqC9o7qr821 Feb 2026 21:41 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfflnp2o2s2chttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mefrgbgyjc2v'Some Account of My Intercourse with Madame Blavatsky' (1885) This is going to be hot09 Feb 2026 05:59 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mefrgbgyjc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3meeytphtrs2e​The circular dance of bureaucracy everywhere: ​UNI ADMIN: In order to proceed you MUST provide us with your unique project code! ME: What is my unique project code? UNI ADMIN: KellyX34 ME: Alright, "KellyX34" UNI ADMIN: Thank you for informing us!08 Feb 2026 22:39 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3meeytphtrs2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3me7qgzooss2uToday I learned that Charles Darwin wrote a 348 page book on 'The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms with Observations on their Habits'.06 Feb 2026 20:26 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3me7qgzooss2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mdo6hmfd5k26The banality of good ...read this from Gal Beckerman https://www.theatlantic.com/books/2026/01/antidote-trump-look-to-the-dissidents/685822/?gift=9DfZl94PbujwHduKn7c5gDosgGKqMUpS2VZApat4kbs&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share30 Jan 2026 20:49 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdo6hmfd5k26https://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3md2wq2j7ac26I once game a live presentation, after which somebody in the audience advised me to engage with the work of Piers Kelly [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Jan 2026 05:10 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3md2wq2j7ac26https://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3mazhuqgafc2sTotally normal seasonal notice from my rural Australian university28 Dec 2025 04:21 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mazhuqgafc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3lz7ud7gwc225What the hell is this creature? Cross between a dingo and a drop bear? (Reminiscences of Australia, 1846)19 Sep 2025 21:58 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lz7ud7gwc225https://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3lywqqpbtxk2eFour different approaches to The Dreaming, an Aboriginal narrative complex guiding belief and action. https://bravenewwords.info/2025/09/14/dreamin/16 Sep 2025 07:00 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lywqqpbtxk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3lue5sbpf5k26I've just read W. E. H. Stanner's 1953 essay 'The Dreaming' for the first time. I'm surprised by how well it holds up after 72 years.🧵19 Jul 2025 23:52 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lue5sbpf5k26https://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3lpbaacvfas2pMe and Alwyn talking about message sticks with David Marr on Late Night Live, wherevery you get podcasts, and also here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/latenightlive/message-sticks-small-items-big-power-piers-kelly-alwyn-doolan/10528841416 May 2025 04:52 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lpbaacvfas2phttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3lnvobwz6zs2zEvery academic gets submission-request spam from predatory publishers, but what about requests to review a submitted manuscript? If you're predatory, why bother going through the charade of peer-review? I've received two requests in the past month and I'm confused.28 Apr 2025 21:06 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnvobwz6zs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3lnablbyirs2bCentrists right now be all like20 Apr 2025 08:53 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnablbyirs2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3lmitmj5aoc2a​As someone who is fascinated by intellectual history, I'm well aware that crackpots and fanatics have existed in all times and places. They are abundant, usually harmless, rarely achieve success and tend to disappear without leaving much of a trace. 1/11 Apr 2025 01:12 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmitmj5aoc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/pierskelly.bsky.social/post/3llphroua322nEasily the best thing I've read about A.I. in higher ed, by @tressiemcphd.bsky.social (thanks @bicycleuser.bsky.social): https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/29/opinion/ai-tech-innovation.html31 Mar 2025 23:03 +0000at://did:plc:4pawistdnigziwdnti23yzmf/app.bsky.feed.post/3llphroua322n