Australian cave reveals 25,000 years of ritual use
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Researchers discovered evidence that the GunaiKurnai people of Australia used Cloggs Cave for ritual practices over the past 25,000 years.
Dr. Elle Grono and a team from Australia, France, and New Zealand examined microscopic plant remains, phytoliths, from sediments inside the cave. They found that people intentionally carried whole grasses into the cave and burned them in layers, creating ash deposits that accumulated over millennia.
The GunaiKurnai Land and Waters Corporation requested the archaeological excavations that led to this discovery, and representatives participated in the research process. Unlike pollen, phytoliths stay close to where plants decay, so their presence inside the lightless cave indicated that people deliberately brought them there. The team analyzed thousands of phytoliths from excavated pits, finding 73 ash layers dating from 4,400 to 1,600 years ago. Researchers also found a standing stone placed intentionally inside the cave around 2,000 years ago.
Analysis of the phytoliths revealed that the GunaiKurnai people carefully selected specific grasses, not just whatever grew nearby, and brought in all parts of the plants. The pattern of burning aligns with GunaiKurnai traditions of using ash for magic, rituals, and tracking. The team also found evidence of rituals involving woody plants in older deposits.
