Intaglios and Aboriginal Rock Art.

Aboriginal Rock art and Pecked intaglios are likely the oldest of all Aboriginal Art forms.

They are located all over Australia from Tasmania to the top end of Australia and unfortunately we are completely unable to read or understand them.

They appear to have been a product of several generations of conservation as in the cave paintings these have different layers of surface deepening. Investigators of this art form have been unable to determine the mannor in which the dots were cut into the rock.

Their use and purpose has been lost to time.

These are mostly geometric designs of circles, ovals and lines.

In West Australia along the coastal development areas many of these sites are in danger due to increasing development infringing into these sacred site areas.

In Arnhem Land in the top of the Northern Territory lies what is believed to be some of the oldest rock art paintings on sandstone cliffs.

These paintings are estimated to be more than 40,000 years old. They have been carefully done in Ochers and carefully restored again and again.

These paintings show the typical left hand done in stencil art along with many other things.

One of the stricking yet more modern paintings deals with early sailing ships so clearly these paintings are not more than a few hundred years old but still depicting what is important to the Aboriginal people at that time.

Aboriginal Rock Art Home Page Aboriginal Art Examples