Cirrus@Austlit

'Australia’s ancient history (“prehistory” for some) represents a significant component of the Australian human past, and yet it is seldom considered as a core part of the nation’s history. There are many reasons for this: as “prehistory” it is not considered history by many, and moreover much of the knowledge of this ancient past is largely inaccessible. Held captive in technical monographs and journal articles, it often incorporates scientific jargon that can be tedious and difficult to interpret. Unlike the remarkable prehistory of international places like the Dordogne valley and the famous rock art at Lascaux, that has been so enthusiastically embraced as a central part of France’s past, the ~60,000 years of the Aboriginal past has seldom had any significant impact on the broader Australian public.'  (Introduction)