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Bushwalker stumbles across Aboriginal cave paintings from 4,000 years ago

By Kathy Marks in Sydney

2 July 2003 - The Independent (UK) - A cave of Aboriginal paintings chanced upon by a hiker was described yesterday as one of the most significant finds of indigenous rock art for half a century.

The cave contains some 200 paintings, many of them thought to be 4,000 years old. It was found in a remote part of Wollemi National Park, north-west of Sydney. The bushwalker is thought to have been the first person to lay eyes on them since the last Aborigine left his or her mark there 200 years ago.

The exact location of the site - a rock shelter 12m long, 6m deep and 1m to 2m high - is being kept secret. Paul Tacon, an anthropologist, said there were 11 layers of more than 200 paintings, stencils and prints in different styles, spanning a period from about 2000BC to the early 1800s. They feature humans and godlike human-animal composites, as well as realistic and symbolic depictions of birds, lizards and marsupials, Mr Tacon said. The paintings include life-size, delicately drawn eagles and kangaroos, and an extremely rare depiction of a wombat.

"This is the most significant discovery in the greater Sydney region in probably about 50 years," he said. "It's like a place that time forgot."

The cave was discovered in 1995, but was so inaccessible that a research team was unable to investigate it properly until May this year. Its existence was announced yesterday by Bob Carr, the New South Wales premier, who told parliament that it was "a remarkable, remarkable find".

Mr Carr said: "This reminds us that 4,000 years ago - when you had civilisation flourishing in Mesopotamia, when you had the power of Egypt, before China was united, while Stonehenge was being built - we had Aboriginal people in these lands, on the outskirts of the Sydney basin."

A local Aboriginal representative, Dave Pross, said: "It shows our traditional practices, where we were," he said. "We're just trying to get the history of it and look after it."

Mr Tacon, of the Australian Museum, said: "We've never seen anything quite like this combination of rare representations in so many layers. The superimposed layers in various colours such as red, yellow, white and charcoal black are in pristine condition."

Source: The Independent (UK)

Aboriginal cave paintings date back 4,000 years

8 July 2003 - The Guardian (UK) - Associated Press - A chance discovery by a hiker has been hailed as one of the most significant finds of Aboriginal rock art in Australia's history - a cave containing more than 200 paintings, some believed to be 4,000 years old.

The cave was found by a hiker in 1995 in a remote part of the Wollemi national park, north-west of Sydney. But the site is so inaccessible that researchers were not able to visit it until this May.

The exact location is being kept secret to stop it being damaged by vandals or sightseers.

The anthropologist and archaeologist Paul Tacon, who led the expedition, said there were 11 layers of more than 200 paintings, stencils and prints in different styles, spanning a period from around 2000 BC to the early 19th century.

The paintings feature people and godlike human-animal composites as well as birds, lizards and marsupials.

"This is the most significant discovery in the greater Sydney region in about 50 years," Mr Tacon added. "It's in pristine condition and it's like a place that time forgot."

Source: The Guardian (UK)

Cave reveals 4000 years of Aboriginal art

Will Knight

2 July 2003 - A cavern resplendent with Aboriginal cave art encompassing 4000 years is being hailed in Australia as the most important find in half a century. The cave was discovered by a backpacker in a remote and almost inaccessible part of Wollemi National Park in New South Wales.

Among the newly revealed images are fantastic images of half human/half animal creatures, a rare rendering of a wombat and numerous birds, lizards and marsupials. The find also includes stenciled images of arms and boomerangs.

"We are incredibly excited about what the cave has revealed to us of the long record of visitors to the area," says Paul Taçon of the Australian Museum in Sydney, who led an expedition to analyse the paintings in May.

"It is amazing to contemplate why people repeatedly travelled great distances through such a rugged landscape to leave their marks out this cave time and again," he says.

First discovered in 1995, the artwork lies in such a hard to reach location that experts were only able to carry out a full analysis recently. The precise location of the find is being kept secret to prevent it being disturbed by vandals or sightseers.

In total, there are 203 different stencils, drawings and paintings in 12 different layers. Experts believe the artwork dates from 2000 BC right up to the 19th century.

Source: New Scientist

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