The Dynamic Figure Art of Jabiluka: A study of ritual in early Australian rock art

Abstract

This thesis is an investigation of ritual practice in the Dynamic Figure rock art of Jabiluka in Mirarr Country, Australia. Painted across western Arnhem Land, Dynamic Figure art constitutes the earliest easily recognisable body of rock art in this region of northern Australia. Despite its antiquity, its most striking attributes are the extremely detailed depictions of human figures with a plethora of material culture, that are engaged in a range of narrative scenes. This thesis explores how the material culture, scenes and other attributes of Dynamic Figure art are acutely associated with ritual and the insights this rock art provides into past ritual behaviour. The highly detailed work of Dynamic Figure artists has enabled the identification of ritual indicators derived from archaeological and anthropological investigation of ritual practice. These ritual indicators provide insights into aspects of the esoteric and actual performative forms of ritual behaviour. These detailed depictions also provide further insights into people’s lifeways, revealing evidence about society, gender, initiation and material culture during the period of Dynamic Figure art production. In this thesis, I demonstrate the value of rigorous analysis and investigation of one type of rock art from a defined study area, in contrast to previous studies in the region with broad spatial and temporal boundaries. This focused approach incorporates the multi-vocal sources available in northern Australia to consider inquiries not possible of broader studies. The Dynamic Figure art of Jabiluka demonstrates the significance of ritual places, headdresses and aspects of both continuity and discontinuity in art production in northern Australia and further highlights the significance of rock art to understand ritual practice and people’s past lifeways.