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Painting believed to be Australia's oldest Aboriginal rock art

May 31, 2010, 7:56 GMT

Sydney - An Aboriginal painting of two giant emu-like birds could be Australia's oldest rock art, archaeologists said Monday. The red ochre painting found in the far north of the continent could date back 40,000 years to the earliest days of its settlement. Archaeologist Ben Gunn said Genyornis, the species depicted in the painting, became extinct 40,000 years ago. 'The details on this painting indicate that it was done by someone who knew that animal very well,' Gunn told the national broadcaster ABC. 'Either the painting is 40,000 years old, which is when science thinks Genyornis disappeared, or alternatively, the Genyornis lived a lot longer than science has been able to establish.' Gunn said that near where the Genyornis depictions were found in Arnhem Land were paintings of other extinct animals, including the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger; the giant echidna; and giant kangaroo. Technical difficulties and uncertainties make dating Australia's early rock art difficult, but Wes Miller, head of the Jawoyn Association, said the discovery confirmed his tribe had lived in the area for tens of thousands of years. 'It verifies that the Jawoyn people were living in this country for a very, very long time,' Miller said. 'People say it, but once again, this is clearly a demonstration of how long Jawoyn people have been in this country and other indigenous groups. It's great from that point of view. It's pretty exciting stuff.'

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Painting believed to be Australia's oldest Aboriginal rock art

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