Aboriginal artefacts on the continental shelf reveal ancient drowned cultural landscapes in northwest Australia

Researchers have uncovered Australia's first confirmed ancient underwater archaeological sites off the Murujuga coastline, revealing evidence of drowned cultural landscapes submerged by rising sea levels. Two key sites were identified: Cape Bruguieres, with over 260 lithic artefacts at depths up to -2.4 meters, and Flying Foam Passage, linked to a submerged freshwater spring at -14 meters. Using advanced remote sensing techniques and predictive mapping, the study analyzed artefact conditions and geomorphological data to determine that these sites were inundated no later than 7000–8500 years ago. The findings highlight significant differences between underwater and onshore lithic assemblages, supporting the chronological interpretation. This groundbreaking work establishes new strategies for detecting submerged archaeological targets and underscores the urgent need for legislative protection of Australia's vast drowned landscapes, which hold critical clues to its ancient human history.

Benjamin, J., O’Leary, M., McDonald, J., Wiseman, C., McCarthy, J., Beckett, E., Morrison, P., Stankiewicz, F., Leach, J., Hacker, J., Baggaley, P., Jerbić, K., Fowler, M., Fairweather, J., Jeffries, P., Ulm, S., & Bailey, G. (2020). Aboriginal artefacts on the continental shelf reveal ancient drowned cultural landscapes in northwest Australia. Plos One, 15(7), e0233912. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233912