Koonalda
Koonalda is a limestone cave located in the
Nullarbor Plain of South Australia near a wide bay known as the Great
Australian Bight. 19,000 years ago sea level was ninety meters lower than
today. Because the sea was lower, Koonalda might have been one hundred
eighty kilometers from the coastal belt rather then the edge as is its present
day position. Also, because the cave may have been located nearly one
hundred eighty kilometers from the nearest habitable region, Koonalda is
thought to have been used for rituals.
In 1956 the Nullarbor expedition explored Koonalda and made two
discoveries marking a major turning point both for archaeology and rock art
studies. The expedition located Aboriginal rock art and a workshop where
tools were made from rock found in the walls of the cave. The Koonalda
people left their marks over several thousand square feet of the cave.
The drawings, known today as meanders, date back 19,000 to 20,000 years.
Meanders are sets of engraved or finger-marked geometric lines parallel to one
another. As if a ritual tradition, the meanders appear to be engraved
repeatedly, possibly showing the people returned on occasion to add to their
existing marks. The meanders appear to show an interest in the cracks and
other imperfections in the rock surface. Ultraviolet light can be used to
determine the new engravings from the old. When ultraviolet light is
shined on a meander, an older meander will not appear as bright because of the
oxidization which has taken place over time. Among the meanders adorning
the cave, prehistoric torches and animal bones have also been recovered.
The Northwest Passage is garnished with meanders leading to the upper chamber
believed to have been used for ritual purposes. Only animal skulls and
vertebrae can be found in this location which is extremely difficult to reach
even with modern day equipment. Koonalda Cave was abandoned nearly 19,000
years ago. The reason is thought to be contributed to a massive rock fall
within the upper chamber.
Image courtesy of
The Old Cave
Photo Page
Resources:
"A Working Paper on the Meanders in Koonalda Cave, South Australia"
Kevin Sharpe http://www.ksharpe.com/articles/articledetail.cfm?article_id=215 26 Sep.
2000
“Nullarbor Plain” Encyclopaedia Britannica
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056483
27 Sep. 2000
“Oceanic Arts” Encyclopaedia Britannica
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9108517
27 Sep. 2000
“The Beginnings of CEGSA” Caving in South Australia http://www.users.on.net/smilner/cegsa/home.htm 26 Sep. 2000
Written By: William Dietrich