Ochre, flint and violence: an Aboriginal history of the Ma:ko region (Overland Corner)

This paper examines the Aboriginal history of the Ma:ko region (Overland Corner). Our exploration of the region includes a consideration of the archaeological record via fieldwork undertaken with traditional owners, an ethnohistorical investigation of the area's traditional significance as well as a consideration of the effects of European invasion and settlement. Together the records reveal the Ma: ko region to be a highly significant node in the Riverland's cultural landscape. The Ma:ko region's cultural significance (inclusive of its ochre and chert/ silcrete resources) likely contributed to the area becoming a site of ongoing cross-cultural conflict in the colonial period.

Automated summary

This paper examines the Aboriginal history of the Ma:ko region (Overland Corner) and explores the archaeological record, traditional significance, and the effects of European invasion and settlement. The study reveals that the Ma:ko region is a significant node in the cultural landscape of Riverland and experienced ongoing cross-cultural conflicts in the colonial period.