Stone artefacts on the seabed at a submerged freshwater spring confirm a drowned cultural landscape in Murujuga, Western Australia

Researchers have uncovered five ancient stone artefacts at a submerged freshwater spring site (WH1) within the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, part of Western Australia's Dampier Archipelago. This discovery, situated 14 meters below the intertidal zone in Flying Foam Passage, suggests human occupation during the Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene, predating current sea levels. The study highlights the archaeological significance of submerged springs and demonstrates how advanced survey techniques—such as those used here—can reveal cultural landscapes in tropical geomorphological environments like mangrove coasts or reef systems. With thousands of potential drowned sites likely existing on tropical continental shelves down to 130 meters below sea level, this work underscores the untapped potential for underwater archaeology and its broader implications for understanding past human adaptations.

Benjamin, J., O’Leary, M., McCarthy, J., Reynen, W., Wiseman, C., Leach, J., Bobeldyk, S., Buchler, J., Kermeen, P., Langley, M., Black, A., Yoshida, H., Parnum, I., Stevens, A., Ulm, S., McDonald, J., Veth, P., & Bailey, G. (2023). Stone artefacts on the seabed at a submerged freshwater spring confirm a drowned cultural landscape in Murujuga, Western Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews, 313, 108190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108190