Australia has some of the oldest surviving human art in the world. There is always something special about staring into something created on a completely different timescale to modern history. The art of this cave is believed by the Wonnarua Aboriginal people to be a painting of Baiame, a legendary ancestor and the maker of all things. After Baiame journeyed amongst the people and having imparted to them knowledge, lore and ceremony, he returned to the sky, stepping up from Mt Yengo nearby (hence its flattened summit). In Australian Aboriginal mythology Baiame (Baayami or Baayama) is the creator spirit of the Dreaming of the Aboriginal peoples of South-Eastern Australia, including the Wonnarua, Wiradjuri, Darkinjung, Awabakal, Worimi and Kamilaroi. The cave is 6.7m wide and the arwork is largest in south eastern Australia. NSW, Australia.
It is unknown how old this painting is as no good radiocarbon dating is available for this site. The oldest examples of aboriginal art in Australia are found in Western Australia's Pilbara region and the Olary district of South Australia. They are estimated to be up to around 40,000 years old.
Robert Downie
Love Life, Love Photography
All images in this post were taken by and remain the Copyright of Robert Downie - http://www.robertdowniephotography.com