The earliest carbon dated artwork is 28,000 years old, a charcoal painting on a rock fragment found in the Northern Territory at the Narwala Gabarnmang rock shelter. Many other works are thought to be much older and share images ranging from now-extinct megafauna, to the more recent arrival of European ships.
Discoveries made in 2017 at the Madjedbebe rock shelter, a significant site of human migration in Arnhem Land, are estimated to be up to 80,000 years old (currently confirmed at 65,000 years +/- 5,000). Thousands of artifacts were unearthed along with a stunning collection of rock art. Today, Madjedbebe is situated on the edge of the Jabiluka wetlands. But 65,000 years ago, when sea levels were much lower, it sat on the edge of a vast savanna plain joining Australia and New Guinea in the supercontintent of Sahul. Evidence of the use of ochre and 'reflective paint substances' were found among the oldest artifacts. These materials provide proof of the incredible antiquity of Aboriginal Art and the importance of art as a means of totemic connection, storytelling, and recording history.
Learn more about Aboriginal Art History here: https://artark.com.au/pages/aboriginal-art-of-australia-understanding-its-history
More info: artark.com.au
Megafauna, Quinkan rock art, Laura, QLD
European ship at Djulirri, Arnhem Land, NT
