Tuesday 27 September 2016

Rock Art 2 - Contact

In some ways I find this type of Aboriginal rock art the most fascinating - this is Contact Art; rock art that was made in response to the coming of Europeans to Australia. It marks the start of something very new, but in many ways it also marked the ending, or at least change of an almost unthinkable scale, of something so old that most of us can't really get out brains around it.

The aboriginal cultures are the oldest extant cultures on Earth.  We (Australians) would do well to remember that a little more often.

The 'white man' image is one of my favourites as it shows to wonderfully observant features - first the figure as no hands - because the person has their hands in their pockets - and secondly it has very big feet - because the person is wearing boots.  I wonder what thoughts and conversations ran around the fire the night before that painting was made.

The hand / arm images show the fine silk gloves worn by European ladies at the time.

But possibly most remarkable is the image of the boat - this was drawn at a site called Nanguluwr in Kakadu.  This may not be a British ship, but could be Dutch, as these boats had been sailing the waters to the north of Australia for a number of years before Cook 'discovered' the east coast of Australia.







You can find more shots from around the world at Our World Tuesday.

16 comments:

  1. I have seen rock art in Australia, South Africa and USA and I love it all. The ship must be the most modern of what rock art is around, though as you say it is also old. Have a good day Diane

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  2. Hari OM
    Oh my - although I know of it and have seen some - nothing like the one with the ship! Awe-inspiring. Meanwhile, there is movement at the howe! YAM xx

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  3. the electric guitar with the snake hanging off the neck is cool too.

    (I was otherwise lost for words)

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  4. Hello, what a cool sighting of the rock art. The ship is awesome. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

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  5. Chills down my spine. Amazing.

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  6. So good to get a look at this visual history.

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  7. So fascinating. The artist(s) were very skilled. Loved the ships the best

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  8. Wow - so much history there and so much detail! And a little saddening because of the terrible way the Aboriginal people were then treated.

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  9. Hello Stewart! This ancient Aboriginal artwork is beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

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  10. Very interesting!
    Hope you are having a great week!

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  11. I have never seen native rock art with a modern theme to it before. Fascinating.

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  12. Interesting post. Beautiful, historic artwork. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Amazing art work.
    Loving the man with his hands in his pockets!!
    Have a great week :)

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  14. Amazing pictographs Stewart! I'm with you, the subject matter marked the end of life as they knew it. Very sad! There are a couple of "first contract" sites in Southern California also.
    Great post and right up my alley! Thanks...

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