World

Australian scientists discover ancient underwater Aboriginal sites dating back to more than 7,000 years ago

Australia’s first underwater archaeological sites off its west coast dating to more than 7,000 years ago will help with the understanding of the cultural and technological development of its first peoples, scientists said Thursday.

Archaeologists in Western Australia discovered hundreds of stone tools made by aboriginal people when the seabed was dry, at two ancient sites now submerged in the Dampier Archipelago.

While the region is well known for its rich ancient history and its rock-art carvings, the two sites are the first confirmed underwater locations holding evidence of human civilization on Australia’s continental shelf.

“The future work that we will be doing is … to look at the skill, the technology, how they made these tools, to see if they represent a different cultural approach to tool making that we haven’t yet identified in Australia,” marine geoscientist Mick O’Leary, a co-director of the project, told Reuters.

Divers from Flinders University plunge into the water on the Pilbara Coast to retrieve the aboriginal objects from what was once dry land, at a depth of between 2.4 metres and 11 metres (8-36 feet).

They have found cutting and grinding tools and hammerstones that date back thousands of years, said archaeologist Jonathan Benjamin, leader of the project.

“You can start to recreate what the people were doing and how they were making their life way in their economy,” Benjamin said.

Data from the find is being analysed for precise dating, however, radiocarbon dating and analysis of sea-level changes show the site is at least 7,000 years old.

Benjamin said the vast majority of artefacts remain on the seabed. The ones taken have been scanned for further research and then handed to the indigenous landowners, the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation.

Reuters

R

Leave a Comment
Share
Published by
R
Tags: Australia

Recent Posts

Former US Senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82

Joe Lieberman, former Democratic senator who represented the state of Connecticut and vice presidential nominee…

4 minutes ago

Tunisia-Construction of Oued Mellague bridge: Work progressing by 70%

Adel Hidri, regional director of Jendouba Equipment, told TAP that the construction work on the…

6 minutes ago

Tunisia: German Embassy honors retirement of Tunisian employee

The German Embassy in Tunis organized a ceremony honouring a Tunisian worker retiring after 30…

10 minutes ago

Tunisia – Popular Current calls for speeding up examination of assassination case of Mohamed Brahmi

The Popular Current Party declared: "The ruling rendered in the case of martyr Chokri Belaid,…

12 heures ago

Ireland joins South Africa against Israel at ICJ

Ireland will intervene in an International Court of Justice case filed by South Africa against…

13 heures ago

France: No more welfare state, “paradise of those on welfare”, Attal turns off tap…

By:Souleymane Loum As France grapples with a notable public deficit, which stands at 5.5% of…

14 heures ago

This website uses cookies.