AMS radiocarbon ages for beeswax and charcoal pigments in North Kimberley rock art

Authors

Michael J. Morwood, University of WollongongFollow
Grahame L. Walsh, TAKARAKKA Rock Art Research CentreFollow
A L. Watchman, Urraca Archaeological Services

RIS ID

30832

Publication Details

Morwood, M. J., Walsh, G. L. & Watchman, A. L. (2010). AMS radiocarbon ages for beeswax and charcoal pigments in North Kimberley rock art. Rock Art Research, 27 (1), 3-8.

Abstract

Here we report AMS radiocarbon ages associated with rock art in the Kimberley, north-west Australia, from beeswax motifs (26), charcoal pigments (7), a fragment of ochred baler shell used for mixing pigments, and mineral deposits from the base of a pecked cupule. With one exception, these ages are for motifs or paraphernalia associated with the Wandjina painting tradition, which appears to have included a number of contemporaneous art 'styles'. The radiocarbon determinations range from -3800 BP to modern, a distribution very similar to that previously obtained for wax figures in Northern Territory rock art.

Link to publisher version (URL)

Rock Art Research