Journal article
Mineral deposition systems at rock art sites, Kimberley, Northern Australia — Field observations
H Green, A Gleadow, D Finch, J Hergt, S Ouzman
Journal of Archaeological Science Reports | ELSEVIER | Published : 2017
Abstract
Mineral coatings, fringes, glazes and skins forming on the surfaces of sandstone rock shelters in Western Australia's Kimberley region offer the potential to provide datable materials to bracket ages of rock art motifs with which they are often spatially associated. These mineral deposition systems, which occur at the interface between the atmosphere and host rock, have never been characterised specifically and their overall formation mechanisms have yet to be completely established. This study serves to increase the understanding of complex processes behind the formation and long-term preservation potential of these mineral deposition systems. This is achieved by combining field observation..
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Awarded by Australian Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
This research is funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Project (DP130100501) awarded to AG and co-funded by the Kimberley Foundation Australia and Dunkeld Pastoral Company. DF is supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award and an AINSE Post Graduate Research Award. We thank the Traditional Owners for permission to work on their land and for their help and guidance during fieldwork, particularly Augustine, Scotty and Adrian Unghango, Ian and Uriah Waina, Ethan and Lucas Karadada, Ernie 'Chubby' Boona for the Drysdale River region, Donny and Kenny Woolagoodja and Wayne Rastus for the Doubtful Bay region and Ambrose Chalarimeri and the Balanggarra Rangers for the Drysdale River and King George River region. Permission to use images was supplied by Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation and local Traditional Owners. Tom Nagle and Ian Waina are thanked for their help in obtaining permission to use the rock art images. We also thank Balanggarra and Dambimangarri Aboriginal Corporations and Rangers for their support, interest and collaboration. We thank the Western Australian Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Department of Parks and Wildlife for sampling permits and permissions. Paul Hartley, Robin Maher, Greg Michat, Traudl Tan, Peter Tucker, and Theda and Doongan stations all provided invaluable logistical assistance. We thank John Dodson and Peter Veth for helpful discussion and advice and constructive comments on the manuscript. Thanks to Alan Greig, Bence Paul, Liz Goodall and Graham Hutchinson for analytical support and to Peter Trewhella for his work on characterising the 'off art' samples. Special thanks to Susan Bradley and Cecilia Myers for their hospitality and support at Doongan and Theda stations and to Cecilia, Nick Sundblom and Pauline Heaney for sharing their knowledge of Kimberley rock art and development of the sample recording database.