Researchers report evidence of repeated burning of grass inside an Australian cave over an extremely long period, shedding light on ancient ritual practices associated with the GunaiKurnai people. Studies described in multiple outlets focus on plant remains preserved in sediments from Cloggs Cave, where grasses appear to have been brought in and burned rather than simply growing and burning naturally. According to the reports, microscopic analysis of preserved plant cells indicates that burnt plant material accumulates over tens of thousands of years, with timelines extending roughly 25,000 years. The findings are presented as archaeological support for ritual behavior in which controlled fires involving specific plant materials were used across many millennia. The research is careful to frame the interpretation as evidence of long-term practice, linking the cave’s use to the GunaiKurnai cultural context rather than everyday fire use. While the exact purpose of the “ritual” cannot be directly observed, the repeated pattern of grass burning is highlighted as an indicator that the activity was deliberate and sustained.
Burnt grass in Australian cave suggests long-running GunaiKurnai ritual practices
Researchers report evidence of repeated burning of grass inside an Australian cave over an extremely long period, shedding light on ancient ritual practices associated with the GunaiKurnai people. Stu...
- Plant remains from Cloggs Cave in Australia show grass is repeatedly brought into the cave and burned.
- Microscopic examination of preserved plant cells supports the identification of the burned grasses.
- The burnt-grass pattern spans tens of millennia, reported as roughly 25,000 years.
- The work is connected to the GunaiKurnai people’s long-term use of the cave.
- Researchers interpret the repeated burning as consistent with sustained ritual practice rather than random natural burning.
For the past 25,000 years or so, this cave bore witness to the lives of the GunaiKurnai, an Australian Aboriginal nation.
9 hours agoPreserved plant cells show that grasses were brought into Cloggs cave in Australia and burnt over many millennia, revealing the ancient origins of rituals practised by the GunaiKurnai people
10 hours ago
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