As water level increased, researchers believe the landscape altered from semi-arid to seaside and lastly the contemporary floodplain. Credit: Dr Jarrad Kowlessar, Flinders University.New research study revealed that the selection of internationally substantial rock art websites in Arnhem Land was not random. Instead, these sites were “picked” for the important vantage points they offered.The Flinders University research study team, working in collaboration with the Njanjma Rangers and Erre Traditional Owners, utilized aerial and drone studies, subsurface imaging, and elevation data to create the very first high-resolution palaeolandscape modeling to assist understand 103 different rock art websites in the regions abundant Red Lily Lagoon area.What this innovative research study has actually done is statistically model what the environmental conditions were like 15,000-28,000 years ago– when even the floodplain floor was 7-15 meters lower than where it sits today.The Changing Landscape and Its ImpactFlinders Associate Professor Ian Moffat states the research findings better notify how the sites would have been utilized, their accessibility and presence– what the Traditional Owner artists would have been looking at, looking out for, and why.”When archaeologists translate rock art, they frequently assume the landscape hasnt changed because the art was first inscribed which definitely isnt the case at Red Lily Lagoon,” he explains.Sea level flooding and mangroves aerial roughly 6000 years back. Credit: Dr Jarrad Kowlessar, Flinders University.”This landscape has changed drastically from being on the coast, an overload, woodlands, and freshwater– and in some cases in simply one lifetime. Our ingenious research approach adds brand-new information to understand the rock art in a fundamentally different method. Modeling the modifications in ecological conditions gradually sheds brand-new light on the places, where they were in these landscapes, how they were picked and used, and the functions they kept in community and clan life.”This location of western Arnhem Land consists of worldwide renowned historical records, consisting of Australias earliest recognized historical site, and at the exact same time, it has actually experienced gigantic ecological landscape changes generated mainly by altering sea levels.Associate Professor Moffat says the research determines these modifications include the shoreline moving from 100s of kilometers away to coming right up against the cliffs in the Red Lily area, before retreating northwards, about 50 km to its current position.He states the Flinders research traces the transformational effect increasing sea levels had on the sandstone cliffs and flat floodplains terrain– altering its open savanna to mudflats, to mangrove swamp, before progressing into the seasonally flooded freshwater wetlands these days. These changes would have had profound ramifications for people, how they moved, engaged, and what they recorded at these locations.Archaeology site photo in Arnhem Land. Credit: Dr Jarrad Kowlessar, Flinders University.”Our research has actually made it possible for a clearer understanding of the placement of rock art websites that surpasses relying on todays landscape as a reference point which is significant.Insights into Rock Art Site SelectionFlinders College of Humanities Research Associate Dr Jarrad Kowlessar states this research study recognizes rock art production was most active, diverse in style, and covered many of the plateau location during a duration when mangroves totally covered the floodplains– roughly 6,000 years earlier.”This may be due to the fact that the mangroves offered plentiful resources to sustain a steady and large human population at the time, or since the land had merely contracted a lot due to the rising sea level that more individuals were in better proximity,” states Dr Kowlessar.”Interestingly most sites throughout this time were picked with views particularly neglecting mangrove areas.Map of the study area within the larger region, revealing the Alligator rivers, floodplains, Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land in addition to the Arnhem Plateau. Credit: Dr Jarrad Kowlessar, Flinders University.”We likewise recognize that during the duration when the sea level was rising, rock art was preferentially made in locations with long-distance views over locations that had open woodlands at the time. So we can suggest these views may helped facilitate searching, or perhaps to more carefully enjoy locations at a time when many individuals were being displaced by the rising water.”Without doubt, the research study demonstrates rock art website areas were deliberately chosen, with nuanced relationships to the regional landscape, and there is possible to use our modeling in the future to inform us far more about the considerable and rich archaeology of Arnhem Land.”Reference: “An altering viewpoint: the impact of landscape advancement on rock art viewsheds” by Jarrad Kowlessar, Daryl Wesley, Mark Willis, Ian Moffat, Tristen Jones, Shay Wrigglesworth, Alfred Nayinggul and the Njanjma Rangers, 28 December 2023, Anthropological and archaeological Sciences.DOI: 10.1007/ s12520-023-01917-yThe research team consists of Dr Kowlessar, Flinders Senior Lecturer Dr Daryl Wesley, Associate Professor Moffat, Mark Willis (Flinders University), Tristen Jones (University of Sydney), Shay Wrigglesworth and Alfred Nayinggul (Njanjma Rangers), with special thanks to the support and contributions of the Njanjma Rangers and Kakadu National Park.The research study was moneyed by the Australian Research Council.
Rather, these websites were “picked” for the important vantage points they offered.The Flinders University research team, working in cooperation with the Njanjma Rangers and Erre Traditional Owners, utilized aerial and drone surveys, subsurface imaging, and elevation information to develop the first high-resolution palaeolandscape modeling to assist understand 103 different rock art sites in the areas rich Red Lily Lagoon area.What this innovative research has done is statistically model what the ecological conditions were like 15,000-28,000 years back– when even the floodplain floor was 7-15 meters lower than where it sits today.The Changing Landscape and Its ImpactFlinders Associate Professor Ian Moffat says the research findings better inform how the sites would have been utilized, their availability and exposure– what the Traditional Owner artists would have been looking at, seeing out for, and why.”Our research study has actually made it possible for a clearer understanding of the positioning of rock art websites that goes beyond relying on todays landscape as a referral point which is significant.Insights into Rock Art Site SelectionFlinders College of Humanities Research Associate Dr Jarrad Kowlessar says this research study recognizes rock art production was most active, diverse in style, and covered many of the plateau location throughout a period when mangroves entirely covered the floodplains– approximately 6,000 years earlier.”Reference: “A changing perspective: the effect of landscape development on rock art viewsheds” by Jarrad Kowlessar, Daryl Wesley, Mark Willis, Ian Moffat, Tristen Jones, Shay Wrigglesworth, Alfred Nayinggul and the Njanjma Rangers, 28 December 2023, Anthropological and archaeological Sciences.DOI: 10.1007/ s12520-023-01917-yThe research study group consists of Dr Kowlessar, Flinders Senior Lecturer Dr Daryl Wesley, Associate Professor Moffat, Mark Willis (Flinders University), Tristen Jones (University of Sydney), Shay Wrigglesworth and Alfred Nayinggul (Njanjma Rangers), with special thanks to the assistance and contributions of the Njanjma Rangers and Kakadu National Park.The research was funded by the Australian Research Council.
