This is a list of Australian Aboriginal prehistoric sites.
Key:
- BGS = Below Ground Surface
- C14 = Radiocarbon date
- char. = charcoal
- OSL = Optical Stimulated Thermoluminescence
- AA = Australian Archaeology
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Locality | Reference | Lab No. | Age Yrs BP | Type of Date | Type of Site |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Territory | |||||
Malakunanja II | Roberts et al. Nature 1990 | KTL 162 | 61,000 +9,000/-13,000 | OSL | Lowest artefact at 260 cm BGS |
Malakunanja II | KTL 158 | 52,000 +7,000/-11,000 | OSL | Artefacts at 250 cm BGS | |
Malakunanja II | KTL 164 | 45,000 +6,000/-9,000 | OSL | Artefacts at 230 cm BGS | |
Malakunanja II | SUA 256 | 18,040 +-300 | C14 char. | Associated with ochre and grindstone | |
Nawalabila I | Roberts et al. AA 1993 | Ox-od K169 | 60,300 +-6700 | OSL | Artefacts at 285-302 cm BGS |
Nawalabila I | Ox-od K170 | 58,300 +-5800 | OSL | Base of rubble auger hole | |
Nawalabila I | Ox-od K168 | 53,400 +-5400 | OSL | Artefacts at 228-240 cm BGS | |
Nawalabila I | Ox-od K166 | 30,000 +-2400 | OSL | Artefacts at 170-175 cm BGS | |
Nawalabila I | SUA 237 | 19,975 +-264 | C14 char. | Lowest C14 date | |
Nawalabila I | Ox-od K172 | 13,500 +-900 | OSL | Artefacts at 104-110 cm BGS | |
Nawalabila I | Ox-od K171 | 2,900 +-600 | OSL | Artefacts at 1-6 cm BGS | |
Malanganger | Roberts et al. Nature 1990 | KTL 126 | 32,000 +-7,000 | OSL | Lowest artefacts at 200 BGS |
Malangangerr | C.White 1967, 1971 | ANU 77B GaK 629 GaK 628 | 22,900 +-1000 22,700 +-700 19,600 +-550 | C14 char. | earliest ground edge axes |
Nawamoyn | C.White 1967,1971 | ANU 51 | 21,450 +-380 | C14 char. | Ground edge axes |
Puritjarra | M.A.Smith Nature 1987 | Beta 19901 | 21,950 +-270 | C14 char. | Artefacts below this estimated to be 30,000 BP |
Western Australia | |||||
Rottnest Island | Charles Dortch, West Australian 23 June 2003 | ANU & James Cook Uni | 70,000 +10,000/-20,000 | U/Th C14 | flint tool embedded in Tamala limestone (Aminozone C) |
Upper Swan Bridge | Pearce and Barbetti AO 1981 | SUA 1500 SUA 1665 | 39,500 +2,300/-1,800 37,100 +1,600/-1,300 | C14 char. | Campsite Occupatn 88-96 cm BGS Occupatn 75-80 cm BGS |
Mandu Mandu Creek RS | Morse AO 1988; Antiquity 1993; Bowdler 1992 | Wk 1513 Wk 1576 SUA 3454 | 34,299 +-1050 30,000 +-850 25,200 +-250 | C14 baler shell C14 nodule | Shell necklace Early occup |
Devil's Lair | Dortch 1984 | SUA 585/6 | 32,800 +-830 | C14 char. | Pooled age |
Famous quotes containing the words australian, aboriginal and/or prehistoric:
“Each Australian is a Ulysses.”
—Christina Stead (19021983)
“John Eliot came to preach to the Podunks in 1657, translated the Bible into their language, but made little progress in aboriginal soul-saving. The Indians answered his pleas with: No, you have taken away our lands, and now you wish to make us a race of slaves.”
—Administration for the State of Con, U.S. public relief program. Connecticut: A Guide to Its Roads, Lore, and People (The WPA Guide to Connecticut)
“Of course
the New Testament is very small.
Its mouth opens four times
as out-of-date as a prehistoric monster,
yet somehow man-made....”
—Anne Sexton (19281974)