Nawarla Gabarnmang
Australia · Oceania
An astonishingly engineered stone pavilion with ceilings completely covered in brilliant Aboriginal rock art.
Age
~28,000 yrs
Period
Pleistocene to Holocene
Setting
Rock shelter
Art form
Paintings
Discovered
2006
Status
Closed (Restricted Indigenous Land)
Located in Jawoyn country in Arnhem Land, this rock shelter is a marvel of both ancient engineering and art. The cave consists of natural stone pillars that were deliberately moved or modified by humans thousands of years ago. The ceiling is a vivid palimpsest of overlapping paintings featuring humans, crocodiles, and barramundi, including a charcoal drawing definitively dated to 28,000 years ago.
Notable Features
- ◦ Oldest reliably dated rock art in Australia
- ◦ Architecturally modified stone pillars
- ◦ Brilliant intersecting ceiling murals
Depicted Subjects
Human FiguresCrocodilesWallabiesBarramundiSpiritual Beings
Plan a Visit
AccessClosed to the public.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.