Australia’s Silk Road

Quarry sites dating back 2,100 years reveal world-scale trading system on Mithaka country

In the heart of Mithaka Country, in Queensland’s Channel Country, traditional owners and archaeologists have unearthed what researchers have dubbed “Australia’s Silk Road”, dating back at least 2,100 years.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following story contains images of people who have died.

The industrial-sized sandstone quarry sites are, to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, the largest in the southern hemisphere, putting the trade systems of Australia’s First People on a world scale.

Now, the Mithaka people’s cultural landscape has been shortlisted for assessment for national heritage listing, which they hope will eventually lead to World Heritage status to protect it for generations to come.

Mysterious stone formations are spread across 60,000 square metres, and more than 200 quarry sites have been uncovered so far, with the largest containing 14,000 pits.

Carbon dating of the extracted stone puts the site at approximately 2,130 years or older.

What they do know is that the Mithaka people’s quarry sites were part of a well-developed system of trading grindstones, silcrete tools, seeds and more.

Key points:

• Mithaka cultural landscape will be assessed for national heritage listing
• Quarry sites on the landscape are thought to be the largest in the southern hemisphere
• For the first time, Mithaka people are touring their archaeological findings in an exhibition

Source
Carli Willis
ABC News