Scientists have identified a life-size portrait of a kangaroo as Australia s oldest rock painting.
The ancient art, described Monday in the journal Nature Human Behavior, is between 17,500 and 17,100 years old.
Researchers dated the portrait, discovered in Western Australia s Kimberley region, by radiocarbon dating 27 mud wasp nests built under and over a collection of rock paintings. This is a significant find as through these initial estimates, we can understand something of the world these ancient artists lived in, lead study author Damien Finch said in a news release.
The oldest complete rock painting in Australia is a portrait of a kangaroo!
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Dubbed the world s oldest-known cave art, the painting represented a 45,000-year-old life-size warty pig.
Dr Sven Ouzman, from University Western Australia s School of Social Sciences, believes the latest discovery will help researchers better understand Australia s Indigenous history.
He said: This iconic kangaroo image is visually similar to rock paintings from islands in South East Asia dated to more than 40,000 years ago, suggesting a cultural link - and hinting at still older rock art in Australia.
Cissy Gore-Birch, Chair of the Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation, added: It s important that Indigenous knowledge and stories are not lost and continue to be shared for generations to come.
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A large cave painting depicting a jumping kangaroo has been shown to be more than 17,000 years old, making it Australia’s oldest intact rock painting. The age of the ancient work of art was determined through a new technique in which 27 mud wasp nests, collected from over and under 16 similar paintings, were radiocarbon dated. The research by a team from the University of Melbourne confirmed the painting is between 17,500 and 17,100 years old..