Ice Age cave find upends what we know about Australia’s first people

Source: The Independent

Archaeologists working in Australia’s Blue Mountains have uncovered a remarkable Ice Age site known as Dargan Shelter, revealing that Aboriginal people lived at high elevations, over 1,000 meters above sea level, as far back as 20,000 years ago. This challenges previous assumptions that such cold, mountainous regions were uninhabitable during the Last Glacial Maximum. Excavations revealed nearly 700 well-preserved artefacts, including stone tools and a 13,000-year-old sandstone grinding slab likely used for processing seeds or nuts. While most tools were made from nearby materials, some originated from as far as 150 kilometres away, suggesting long-distance connections and travel. The discovery was made in collaboration with Traditional Owner groups, including the Dharug, Wiradjuri, Gomeroi, Wonnarua, and Ngunnawal peoples, emphasizing both cultural continuity and the importance of preserving these sites. Overall, the find significantly alters our understanding of early human adaptability and movement through extreme environments in Ice Age Australia.

Reference: June 17, 2025
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/australia-aborgin-people-ice-age-cave-b2771386.html