Oldest rock art found in Australia

“It’s the oldest unequivocally dated rock art in Australia” and among the oldest in the world, said University of Southern Queensland archaeologist Bryce Barker.

The aboriginal work created 28,000 years ago was found in the Northern Territory rock shelter known as Nawarla Gabarnmang.

According to AP, the rock was dated at New Zealand’s University of Waikato radiocarbon laboratory.

Barker said despite most rock art which are made with mineral paint, the one found in Nawarla Gabarnmang was created with charcoal and could therefore be carbon dated.

“Rock art is notoriously difficult to date and although we know that people had occupied this site at least 45,000 years ago we did not know how old the art was,” said Professor Barker.

“I don’t think it will surprise anyone that rock art is that old in Australia because we know people have been here a lot longer than that and there’s no reason to believe they weren’t producing art,” said Australian National University archaeologist Sally May describing the find as “incredibly significant.”

The world’s oldest known rock art is in Spain’s El Castillo where hand stencils and red disks made by blowing paint on to the wall cave are dated to at least 40,800 years ago.

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