Geochronologist Damian Finch says his team of experts have determined the age of a 17,000-year-old kangaroo painting on the ceiling of a sandstone rock shelter by looking at the radiocarbon dated mud wasps’ nests surrounding the image.
“The unique thing about this image was we were able to date three mud wasps’ nets that were over the top of the painting, and three different nests that were underneath the painting,” Mr Finch said.
“From the ages on those six wasp nests we know the painting itself has to be between 17,500 and 17,100 years old.”
The painting was discovered in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and an additional 15 paintings of a similar style have been found and dated between 17,000 and 13,000 years old.
