Australia: The Land Where Time Began

A biography of the Australian continent 

The age of this site has been very controversial, the earliest dates not being accepted by most scientists.

In the Unit 1, lowest stratigraphical level, there were multi-platform quartzite cores, flakes, fragments, unifacially retouched flakes, and quartzite cobbles that had been used as pounding stones that still has starch residue on the working surfaces. (Fullagar et al., 1996).

A series of TL dates on quartz, 116,000 +/- 12,000 to 73,300 +/- 7,000. These are the earliest dates recorded for ochre. For a buried sandstone slab that has pecked cupules the earliest date is 58,000 +/- 6,900 BP & 75,000 +/- 7,000. All these dates are very controversial and are not accepted as accurate. Fullagar et a., (1996); sf, Roberts et al.,(1998); Watchman et al., (2001). 7 AMS dates on charcoal from the upper 2/3 of the deposit at Jinmium ranged from 1,1100 +/- 60 BP to 3,300 +/- 100 BP. A series of OSL dates from individual quartz grains from the deposit ranged from 300 +/- 30 BP to 22,000 +/- 1,200 BP. (Roberts et al., 1998). Among 16 AMS dates on oxalate in the crust covering cupules were 1,400 +/- 110 BP,  and from  5,840  +/- 65 BP to 11,050 +/- 650 BP. The 11,000 BP date is considered inconsistent because the disparity "between the thickness of the crust and its age when compared with the other crusts in the Keep River region" (Watchman et al., 2000: 7). Watchman (2000); Watchman (2001).

Sources & Further reading

Josephine Flood, Archaeology of the Dreamtime, J. B. Publishing

Phillip J. Habgood & Natilie R. Franklin, The revolution that didn't arrive: A review of Pleistocene Sahul, Journal of Human Evolution, 55, 2008

Links

1. TESTS REVEAL TRUE AGE OF JINMIUM SITE
2. Optical and Radiocarbon dating at Jimnium rock shelter in northern Australia
3. Optical Dating of single and multiple grains of quartz from Jimnium rock shelter, Northern australia: Part II, results and implications.