Newly documented Indigenous rock art in northern Australia depicts Tasmanian tigers (thylacines) and Tasmanian devils, with some images estimated to be less than 1,000 years old.
This discovery prompts a re-evaluation of previous timelines, which suggested these species disappeared from mainland Australia approximately 3,000 years ago.
The findings, a collaboration between researchers and Traditional Owners, have been published in the journal Archaeology in Oceania.
Discovery Details
The project, led by Professor Paul Taçon of Griffith University, documented 14 new images of thylacines and two new images of Tasmanian devils. These artworks were found at two sites in northwest Arnhem Land, Northern Territory: Awunbarna, on Australia's north coast, and Injalak Hill, further inland. Some of these depictions had been known since the 1990s but were formally documented as part of this research.
Arnhem Land is governed by its Aboriginal people and is characterized by a low population density.
Implications for Survival Timelines
Prior to this research, both Tasmanian devils and thylacines were generally believed to have become extinct on mainland Australia around 3,000 years ago. The thylacine, though extinct on the mainland, survived on the island of Tasmania until 1936. The Tasmanian devil, while currently extinct on the mainland, still exists in Tasmania and historically inhabited Arnhem Land.
Some of the recently documented artworks are estimated to be less than 1,000 years old. This suggests the possibility that these species may have survived longer in northern Australian regions than previously understood. Researchers propose two theories regarding the age of these paintings: artists may have observed living thylacines and devils, or they may have drawn inspiration from earlier artworks.
Art Styles and Dating
The paintings exhibit various Aboriginal art styles, created using red and yellow ochre, with some dating back as far as 15,000 years. Additionally, white pipe clay, also known as kaolin, was used in some paintings. As white pipe clay tends to degrade faster than ochre, paintings incorporating this material are generally thought to be less than 1,000 years old.
Specific details from the artwork include:
- Tasmanian Devil Paintings: One image, found in 2023, measures 0.4 meters (1.3 feet) long and depicts an animal with a robust, short torso, a rounded head, prominent whiskers, and dog-like back paws. An eel-tail catfish drawing overlays part of it. Another drawing, 0.6 meters (2 feet) long, features a slightly open mouth revealing sharp teeth and has a fish painted over its legs.
- Thylacine Paintings: These depict a striped, dog-like animal with rounded ears and a long muzzle. The longest depiction measures 1.4 meters (4.7 feet). Some drawings include stripes, while others do not.
Cultural Significance
Thylacines appear to have been more widespread and culturally significant across mainland Australia than Tasmanian devils. Researchers note over 160 thylacine depictions have been documented across the mainland, compared to approximately 25 for Tasmanian devils.
The thylacine, known as Djankerrk or djanggerrk in the Kunwinjku language, maintains cultural importance today. Co-author Joey Nganjmirra, a Djalama man, stated that his ancestors' stories included hunting with thylacines, which also held cultural significance as protectors during stream crossings. Oral histories from the region describe thylacines as pets of the Rainbow Serpent, residing in rock pools, and often associated with water.
Co-author Dr. Andrea Jalandoni highlighted that retouched paintings in the area demonstrate the animals' significance across generations. Some headdresses depicted in the rock art near the thylacines resemble those used in contemporary Djalama ceremonies.
Research Publication
The collaborative research findings have been published in the journal Archaeology in Oceania under the title 'The Devil Is in the Detail: Tasmanian Devil and Tasmanian Tiger Paintings From Awunbarna and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia'.