Integrating Pre-Colonial Indigenous Australian Art into Global Art History

Allison Bell; James Hutson

doi:10.32474/JAAS.2025.10.000350

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Integrating Pre-Colonial Indigenous Australian Art into Global Art History

Journal article

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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

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32474/JAAS.2025.10.000350

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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.

Details

Title: Integrating Pre-Colonial Indigenous Australian Art into Global Art History
Authors/Creators: Allison Bell (Corresponding Author)
James Hutson (Corresponding Author) - Lindenwood University
Publication Details: Journal Of Anthropological And Archaeological Sciences, Vol.10(5)
Publisher: Lupine Publishers LLC
Identifiers: 991005845664107891
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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