Significant artefacts newly discovered under water at Murujuga (Dampier Archipelago) have spurred calls for greater protection of Indigenous underwater heritage – including national ratification of the UNESCO convention on the protection of underwater cultural heritage.
Flinders University archaeologists working with colleagues from the University of Western Australia and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation in 2022, have conclusively located ancient undersea archaeological finds, linking them with terrestrial archaeology and rock art to present a more complete picture of one of the world’s oldest known continuing cultures.
Lead researcher on The Deep History of Sea Country project, Professor Jonathan Benjamin says the research confirms the presence of preserved cultural material as deep as 14 metres under water, associated with a submerged freshwater spring – providing exciting scientific insights into deep-time history of Aboriginal activity on what was once dry land, and is now under water due to postglacial sea-level rise.
The findings are featured in Network 10 and NITV’s new documentary series ‘The First Inventors’ looking at thousands of years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander innovation.
Professor Benjamin says having research findings at Murujuga aired in the documentary will strengthen public awareness and understanding of the importance of preserving newly discovered sites as a matter of urgency.
‘Who knows how much irreplaceable heritage was thought to have been lost before we discovered them through scientific diving? The discovery of more and more artefacts establishing the submerged sites of Murujuga are of national importance provides an opportunity to protect all types of underwater cultural heritage,’ Professor Benjamin says.
‘Working hand in hand with Traditional Owners and Custodians, the discoveries at Murujuga present compelling evidence of the inventiveness and resourcefulness of generation after generation of Aboriginal people.
‘What’s needed now is a cohesive, national approach to apply federal and state protections to all underwater cultural heritage sites, rather than the current approach which provides blanket automatic protection to shipwrecks over 75 years old, but requires ministerial approval to protect other types of archaeology, including Indigenous sites under water’
‘We’ve confirmed the survivability of seabed archaeology, preserved for many thousands of years; the challenge now is to ensure submerged cultural sites survive into the future, given the pressure of modern impacts on our seabed and shores’ Professor Benjamin says.
Professor Benjamin says scientific findings will shortly be published in detail in an international peer reviewed journal.
The First Inventors airs weekly on NITV and Network 10 on Thursdays at 8.40pm. The series will also be available to stream for free on 10 Play and SBS On Demand.
