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Integrating Pre-Colonial Indigenous Australian Art into Global Art History
Journal article   Open access

Integrating Pre-Colonial Indigenous Australian Art into Global Art History

Allison Bell and James Hutson
Journal Of Anthropological And Archaeological Sciences, Vol.10(5)
2025
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CC BY V4.0 Open Access
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https://lupinepublishers.com/anthropological-and-archaeological-sciences/pdf/JAAS.MS.ID.000350.pdfView
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Abstract

Aboriginal rock art Archaeological dating Decolonizing art history Global art history Cross-cultural comparison Indigenous curation Gwion Gwion paintings Kimberley rock art Indigenous Australian heritage
Art history as a discipline remains dominated historically through Eurocentric frameworks, systematically marginalizing Indigenous artistic traditions, particularly pre-colonial Australian Aboriginal art. Despite evidence of profound antiquity and cultural richness, such art often occupies peripheral spaces in global narratives. This article addresses these limitations through an interdisciplinary approach, integrating precise archaeological dating methods—including radiocarbon analysis of mud wasp nests and uranium-series dating—with detailed art historical inquiry. Case studies focus specifically on landmark findings, such as the Gwion Gwion rock paintings in the Kimberley region (over 16,000 years old) and Australia's oldest known in-situ kangaroo painting, dated approximately 17,300 years old. Comparative international examples drawn from Sulawesi cave art in Indonesia, San rock art heritage in South Africa, and Native American initiatives in museum curation illustrate effective models for conservation policy, curriculum reform, and Indigenous representation in global art contexts. Therefore, these recently validated chronologies offer a foundation to challenge entrenched Eurocentric biases, thus facilitating meaningful curricular transformation and effective cultural policy frameworks.

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