The archaeology of sacred womens’ business in Australia: a Holocene history from the Central Queensland Highlands

Abstract

This paper provides the initial chronological framework for an Australian Aboriginal women's sacred area, based on the first absolute ages obtained through luminescence dating. The Thirteen Mile Creek site of the Avon Downs women's sacred area provides evidence for various aspects of women's lives, including lithic raw material extraction and lithic artefact production from ∼7000 years to recent times. It is the first dated Aboriginal women's sacred area in Australia. The successful use of single grain luminescence on a colluvial mantle suggests the potential to extend cultural histories in tropical hillslopes to the middle Holocene. Our preliminary study of the site raises awareness of the challenges of protecting women's sacred sites from mining and development and highlights the importance of preserving Aboriginal sacred sites for future generations.