Dargan Shelter, a rock cave perched 1,100 metres above sea level in the gorgeous upper Blue Mountains. Once again, this site has become a focal point archaeological treasure that is changing our interpretation of human activity in Australia. The cave is thought by experts to be the oldest known site of human activity at high elevation on the continent. Artefacts discovered here range back over 20,000 years.
These findings at Dargan Shelter have flipped our perceptions of early inhabitants on their head. They didn’t merely transgress the parameters of the Great Dividing Range, but chose to actually colonize the space. Instead, evidence suggests that diverse groups, including those from the Hunter Valley and Jenolan, utilized this cave as a resting place during their journeys.
Over the course of archaeological work from April 2022 to March 2023, researchers uncovered thousands of ancient artefacts. These findings offer important perspectives about the lives of our earliest inhabitants. The steep cliffs and craggy peaks that surround Dargan Shelter make for an interesting and intimidating landscape. This challenging environment underscores the crucial role of the site in understanding human resilience and adaptation to an evolving world.
Discoveries That Reshape Understanding
During those three digs, archaeologists recovered artifacts of immense cultural importance. One of the most interesting discoveries, an early sandstone grinding slab with clear linear grooves. Researchers think this stone tool, used 9,000 years ago, was an aid for cracking open hard seeds or nuts.
Dr. Amy Way, an archaeologist of the Australian Museum, elaborated on the significance of these findings.
“We have the full sequence of occupation, right from when people started using it, from the last Ice Age or possibly even before that,” – Amy Way.
Dr Way pointed out that many artefacts retrieved from Dargan Shelter came from over 100 kilometres away.
“Some had come in from the Hunter Valley and some from Jenolan … to the north and south,” – Amy Way.
This new evidence paints a picture of a much more connected society, one where people were rarely just passing through these snowbound mountains. Rather, they moved through much more deeply immersed in their world.
Cultural Significance and Heritage Protection
First Nations knowledge holders Erin Wilkins and Wayne Brennan, who have taken a key leadership role on this project, stress the cultural heritage connected to Dargan Shelter. Wilkins, a Dharug woman, said she was overwhelmed with emotion that First Nations people had finally taken ownership of the site.
“Coming into this shelter is like nothing you’ve ever done before — it takes your breath away and it’s very settling for your soul, for your spirit as well,” – Erin Wilkins.
Brennan, a Gomeroi man, made sure Dargan Shelter was acknowledged. He called it an important “dreaming track” and a vital connection for Indigenous families. He explained that this understanding is strengthened by the archaeological discoveries.
“Just to think our ancestors were coming up here and doing things around that period of time — it would’ve been tough, but that shows the obligation we have to country,” – Amy Way.
Brennan explained their entire absence of any safeguards in place for cultural heritage. In particular, he noted the threats to UNESCO World Heritage-listed areas, including the Blue Mountains.
“The Blue Mountains is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site for the protection of flora and fauna, but there are no safeguards for our cultural heritage,” – Wayne Brennan.
Brennan knows that the integration of traditional knowledge and scientific research can lead to tangible outcomes. His mission is to preserve these irreplaceable vaults of history for future Americans.
A Window into the Past
The paleoenvironmental evidence collected from Dargan Shelter offers a rare window into what life was like during the Ice Age. The scientists think the average temperature in the region was at least 8 degrees Celsius, or 14.4 Fahrenheit, cooler than today. This indicates that the early settlers had a more extreme climate to contend with.
According to Dr. Way, one notable artefact discovered at Dargan Shelter was especially significant.
“Those grooves were made when a person was sharpening either a bone or a piece of wood, and sharpening it into a point,” – Amy Way.
She went into greater detail about how these discoveries show us quotidian life among ancient people in ways we hadn’t quite understood before.
“This is people sitting around having a feed, cracking open some nuts for a snack,” – Amy Way.
Wilkins echoed these sentiments. He said the finds shed light on the deep relationship between the area’s past and current residents.
“To know my ancestors and many, many ancestors and many people have come through, sat in the same sand, in the same soil, in the same surrounds for thousands and thousands of years, it gives us a lot more clarity, a lot more information,” – Erin Wilkins.
