Researchers unearthed definitive evidence of ancient human habitation in the Dargan Cave, located in the upper reaches of Australia's Blue Mountains. The findings, published recently in Nature Human Behaviour, reveal that humans occupied the high-altitude shelter during the last Ice Age, upending long-held beliefs about the region's ancient history.
The excavation at Dargan Shelter uncovered 693 artefacts, including 117 stone flakes from layers older than 16,000 years. These artefacts provided definitive proof of repeated occupation in what was once considered an inhospitable, frozen landscape. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the oldest evidence of human habitation at the site dated back approximately 20,000 years, with charcoal from ancient hearths indicating continuous occupation between 22,000 and 19,000 years ago.
"It's just such a kind of mind-blowing experience when you unearth an artefact that was last touched by someone 20,000 years ago," said Dr. Amy Mosig Way, an archaeologist involved in the excavation, according to The Guardian. She described the findings as "remarkable," noting that they showed a continuous sequence of occupation from the Ice Age until about 400 years ago. "It's almost like the passing of the object through time from one hand to the other."
The Dargan Shelter, resembling a large amphitheatre at an elevation of 1,073 metres, is now considered "the most significant archaeological landscape in Australia in terms of Ice Age occupation," according to Dr. Way. The site is the highest human-occupied Ice Age location found in Australia, challenging previous assumptions that the upper Blue Mountains were too hostile for ancient human life.
During the last Ice Age, the upper reaches of the Blue Mountains were treeless and frozen, with ridgelines and mountain peaks laden with snow and ice. The harsh climate and terrain conditions made human habitation extremely tough. Yet, the new evidence showed that people not only traversed the high country but stayed there for extended periods. This aligned with global findings that icy climates did not prevent ancient humans from traveling to and occupying high-altitude regions.
"It's like shaking hands with the past," said Wayne Brennan, a Gomeroi archaeologist and rock art expert who played a role in the excavation. The team conducted three digs between April 2022 and March 2023 after obtaining a permit alongside Dr. Way. Brennan emphasized the connection felt when uncovering ancient artefacts.
Among the discoveries was a sandstone grinding slab dated to over 13,000 years ago, featuring grooves that suggested it had been used to shape bone or wooden implements. Additionally, a basalt anvil dated to 8,800 years ago was found, bearing impact marks consistent with cracking hard woody nuts and seed shells. "This is people sitting around having a feed, cracking open some nuts for a snack," Dr. Way explained.
"You don't understand how big it is until you step inside and you're this tiny little thing inside this massive bowl," said Erin Wilkins, a Darug and Wiradjuri woman and cultural educator with the Darug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation, according to The Guardian. "To know my ancestors and many, many ancestors and many people have come through, sat in the same sand, in the same soil, in the same surrounds for thousands and thousands of years, it gives us a lot more clarity, a lot more information."
The greater Blue Mountains area holds significance for Aboriginal peoples, including the Darug, Wiradjuri, Gomeroi, Dharawal, Wonnarua, and Ngunnawal. The region is concentrated with tangible and intangible cultural values, and the discovery at Dargan Shelter reinforces the long-standing connection between Indigenous Australians and the landscape.
Local Aboriginal custodians hope that the new research will help secure more protection for their cultural places. Despite the area being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000 for its outstanding biodiversity, the parallel nomination for cultural heritage listing failed due to a lack of archaeological and cultural information at the time. "It's important to preserve [cultural heritage]—not only for Australian history or for archaeology but for our people for generations to come," said Wilkins, advocating for a change in the UNESCO listing to include cultural heritage.
The collaboration between archaeologists and Aboriginal custodians was central to the success of the study. Working alongside six Aboriginal groups, the team mapped rock shelters across the greater Blue Mountains area, spanning one million hectares of mostly untouched wilderness west of Sydney. They dug to a depth of 2.3 metres in the Dargan Shelter, sifting through sandy layers to reveal the cave's secrets.
"The mountains weren't a barrier, and I think that's the exciting part," said Brennan, emphasizing the significance of the findings in understanding ancient human movement through the region. "They're here, they're spending time, they're connected along the mountains."
The preparation of this article relied on a news-analysis system.