Archaeology of animate ancestors and entanglement at Mayarnjarn in the Wellington Range region, Northern Territory

Bibliographic Data

ID6038498
AuthorsD Wright (0000-0003-2546-0559, DW, the Australian National University, corresponding author), Ladislav Nejman (0009-0009-1748-7883, LN, Archaeoconverge, Brisbane, Queensland), Steve Skitmore (0000-0002-1851-6975, SS, Extent Heritage, Melbourne, Victoria), Wayne Brennan (The University of Sydney), Rebecca Parkes (RP, Lantern Heritage, Wallagoot, New South Wales), Rebecca S V Parkes (0000-0001-5465-8578, Australian National University), Ronald Lamilami (RL, Namunidjbuk Aboriginal Corporation, Darwin, Northern Territory), Paul S C Taçon (0000-0002-0280-4366, Griffith University)
Year2023
Volume58
Issue2
Pages172-182
Publication date2023-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArchaeology in Oceania/Archæology & physical anthropology in Oceania (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0728-4896 • E-ISSN: 1834-4453
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/arco.5290
OpenAlexW4365142816
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

The Wellington Range region, in far Northern Australia, provides a remarkable record of cultural encounter. Cathedral‐sized rock art galleries include contact imagery referencing Macassan and European visitors while lithic artefact assemblages echo social mobility between Indigenous groups occurring from at least the mid Holocene period. In this paper, we continue the trajectory of archaeological research in this region by examining community entanglement over the longue durée, focusing on the Mayarnjarn rock‐shelter complex. Specifically, and following advice from traditional custodians, the authors complement archaeological excavation results with reflections on interactions between Traditional Mawng speaking Owners and archaeologists occurring during the 2016 and 2018 field seasons. This paper provides a cultural chronology built around both OSL and radiocarbon dates, a first for the region, indicating site activities dating from the terminal Pleistocene. An increase in exotic artefacts and presence of paintings belonging to a pan‐Arnhem land rock art tradition suggests widening social networks during the Holocene. Insight into the nuanced nature of interactions, also the role of animate objects as relationship referents, emerge through ethnography and experience as the field season unfolds

Archaeology · Chronology · Excavation · Geography · Holocene · Indigenous · Pleistocene · Radiocarbon dating · Range (aeronautics · Rock art · Rock shelter · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · History · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Ecology

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