A continent of Nations: The emergence of new regionally distinct rock art styles across Australia

By the time Europeans arrived on Australian shores several hundred years ago, the lifestyle of Aboriginal populations across the continent varied from region to region: they spoke many different languages, their social organization differed from one region to another, they partook of varied cultural practices, and they produced material culture which took diverse forms in different places. Taking rock art as an example of this diversity, this paper will describe the chronology and form of late-Holocene rock art from five major painted art provinces and discuss the arguments researchers have proposed for the relatively recent emergence of new regional art styles. Implicated are demographic change, environmental change including rising sea levels, increased social complexity, the introduction of a totemic belief system, territorial change, or the migration of people from outside Australia. Two detailed rock art studies, one from northwest Queensland and one from central Australia will be presented to provide insight into why new art styles were produced. Explanations for the emergence of new distinct rock art styles that differed from previous assemblages within these areas are predicated on an understanding of stylistic behaviour and the circumstances under which groups are likely to feel the need to differentiate themselves from their neighbours. Findings indicate that, rather than a single cause, multiple factors are likely to have played a role in the emergence of new regionally distinct rock art styles. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.