Gwion Gwion (Kimberley)
Australia · Oceania
Elegant ceremonial figures so refined that early Europeans refused to believe they were Indigenous
Age
~12,000–17,000 yrs
Period
Terminal Pleistocene
Setting
Rock shelter
Art form
Paintings
Discovered
1891
Status
Open (Remote Access)
The Kimberley region of Western Australia contains extraordinary galleries of elongated, elegantly dressed human figures — so refined and unlike anything seen before that early European explorers refused to believe Aboriginal Australians had painted them. Known locally as Gwion Gwion, the figures wear elaborate headdresses and ritual attire and convey a sense of joyful, dynamic movement.
Notable Features
- ◦ Elaborate ceremonial figures
- ◦ Unique elongated style
- ◦ Beeswax dated to ~17,000 yrs
Depicted Subjects
Human FiguresBirdsKangaroosBoomerangsHeaddressesOrnamental Dress
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.