Horror, Sleaze and Trash.

 

 Recent Research into the Rock Art and Function of Narwala Gabarnmang, Jawoyne County, Northern TerritoryBased on the recent article by ben Gunn, Ray Whear and Leigh Douglas, ‘Dating the present at Nawarla Gabarnmang: Time and function in the art of a major Jawoyn rock art and occupation site in western Arnhem Land’, published in Australian Archaeology 75. All images in this post are copyright to the Jawoyn Association and are used here with permission of the authors.By Jacqueline Matthews.“Australia is world renowned for its impressive array of Aboriginal rock art. Researchers have spent decades studying the diverse art forms across Australia, identifying numerous periods and styles of art, and working with Indigenous groups to try to explain their meaning and significance to a new audience. One of the key challenges researchers face is establishing just how old the rock art is, because, unlike other archaeological materials, art is not straight-forward to date. In Australia, like the rest of the world, direct dates for rock art are extremely rare, but they are on the rise as more researchers invest time and effort into solving this issue.As one of only a handful of Australian sites that has been reliably dated to beyond 45,000 years, Nawarla Gabarnmang is a significant and increasingly well-known site, both in Australia and internationally. Excavations at this site, which began in 2010, have brought to light some of the oldest currently known evidence for ground edge axe technology (Geneste et al. 2010) and pigment use specifically for art (David et al. 2013) (for more about recent research click here). However, the compelling archaeological stories being told below the ground are equally matched by those above it. The visually stunning nature of this shelter, which is quite literally covered in rock art, rivals some of the best known rock art sites in the world.In Australian Archaeology 75, ben Gunn, Ray Whear and Leigh Douglas report on their research at Nawarla Gabarnmang, and their use of different methods to date the most recent period of art creation at the site. They combine techniques of superimposition and direct dating of beeswax with information about contact motifs (or ‘figures’) and crucial comments provided by the traditional owners” (read more).

(Source: Australian Archaeological Association)