Koonalda Cave National Heritage Listing The well preserved finger markings and unique archaeological deposits of Koonalda Cave provide a rare glimpse of life on the Nullarbor Plain tens of thousands of years ago.
Koonalda Cave is of outstanding heritage value to the nation Recognition of extreme age of for the role it has played in transforming our contemporary understanding of the extraordinary age of Aboriginal art, Aboriginal occupation in Australia archaeology and occupation in Australia. The site is of Prior to the discovery and study of Koonalda Cave the great importance for its role in the history of Aboriginal earliest date for human occupation in Australia was occupation and of particular historical and cultural generally accepted as 8700 years ago. The claim by significance for the Mirning people. Dr Alexander Gallus in 1956 that the evidence in Koonalda The cave contains exceptionally well preserved finger Cave dated to at least 22 000 years ago was extremely markings made in the soft limestone by Aboriginal people controversial. Subsequent confirmation of this date with who lived during the last ice age. In 1956, archaeologist radiocarbon technology was transformative for people’s Dr Alexander Gallus dated the archaeological remains and understanding of Australian and World prehistory. finger markings to 22 000 year ago—but new tests suggest The unique archaeology of Koonalda Cave provided the humans visited this cave even earlier. scientific evidence that forced the academic community to The reliable dating of Aboriginal occupation in Koonalda rethink previously held perceptions about the age of human Cave to the Pleistocene epoch was a landmark discovery occupation in Australia. The site also proved that Aboriginal and key to changing the widely held perception among the people survived in the semi arid region during the Pleistocene scientific community that Aboriginal people had only lived epoch, which was previously thought to be impossible due to on the Australian continent for a relatively short time. This the harsh environmental conditions at this time. in turn influenced the broader Australian public perception The confirmation of Dr Gallus’ work was also a stimulus for of the age of Aboriginal culture. further research into other potential sites of the same age and confirmation of their antiquity. By the late 1970s there were over 35 recorded sites proving Aboriginal occupation of the Australian landscape dated from the Pleistocene epoch. Some sites had markings and finger fluting similar to Koonalda Cave.
In addition, Koonalda Cave was the first site identified in Australia that had Aboriginal ‘art’ in an area beyond where natural light could reach. Until then recorded sites with markings made by Aboriginal people were located in naturally
Images: © Kevin Moore 2005 lit areas, for example at the entrance to a cave or rock shelters. HER120.0914 environment.gov.au Finger flutings
The human made markings in the soft limestone at Koonalda Cave are often termed ‘art’ although the reason for their creation is not fully understood. Made by drawing the fingers over the limestone surface, these markings are often called finger flutings. At the time of its discovery by archaeologists the only comparable type of marking were found in Europe in the Garonne River in France.
The enigmatic ‘art’ of Koonalda Cave involves two styles of rock markings; the finger markings and similar marks made using a sharp tool in the harder rock. They cover two large sections of Koonalda Cave deep beneath the earth. The finger flutings extend over a distance of approximately 100 metres, with markings consisting of abstract parallel depressions of lines; most grouped as three or four finger markings close together, with occasional singular finger markings. Patterns include a lattice effect and a series of relatively vertical lines drawn together at the base.
In an area 20 metres high and up to six metres wide a second set of markings of lines made by a sharp tool are present in the harder limestone sections of the cave. Patterns of horizontal and vertical lines carved in a v-shape are widespread. These distinctive human made markings are moving reminders of the ice age people who had the skill © Keryn Walshe and knowledge to survive in this harsh environment. The markings at Koonalda Cave are considered some of the most complex and best preserved of their kind in Australia. National Heritage Listing
Other archaeological deposits found at Koonalda Cave National Heritage listing for Koonalda Cave recognises its provide evidence of silica mining activity that can be reliably place in Australia’s history and ensures this long and rich dated to the same period. The location of the archaeological connection of Aboriginal Australians with the Nullarbor remnants of silica mining hundreds of metres below ground landscape is protected and celebrated for future generations. provides further confirmation of its human occupation Koonalda Cave is the 102nd place on the National to a discreet period over 20 000 years ago and informs Heritage List. our understanding of the human life and activity during this time. © Commonwealth of Australia, 2014. Koonalda Cave is unique as one of the few arid sites used almost exclusively by Aboriginal people during the Pleistocene epoch and represents their long and rich cultural connection with the landscape. It is a tangible link to the This fact sheet is licensed by Commonwealth of Australia under a past and a place that continues to hold special significance Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. for the Mirning people today. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment.
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