New dates refine Australian timeline

Oldest known occupation in the Pilbara

The Nyiyaparli Heritage Sub-Committee and Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation working with archaeologists from the heritage company Archae-aus evaluated a rock shelter in the area as part of a larger survey. The samples of charcoal retrieved along with artefacts were analysed using carbon-dating techniques and returned a date that amazed the archaeologists – the layer of occupation was 41,230 calendar years old (ka).

The charcoal was discovered in a layer 27cm below the current surface of the rock shelter, along with associated stone tools. As the evaluation of the site was confined to a 1m x 1m test pit, there was no sign of a hearth but this may well be uncovered during future excavations in 2013.

What is more remarkable is that stone tools were discovered below the charcoal level, meaning even earlier occupation of the site. However, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) needs to be carried out in order to obtain dates for the layers containing these artefacts. [...] Past Horizons