Margaret Katherine, a Jawoyn Elder at Nawarla Gabarnmung—a prehistoric Sistine Chapel—in Arnhem Land, Australia
Looking at a map of the world, it's difficult to imagine how having migrated out of Africa and reached Asia, modern humans next found themselves crossing into the island continent of Australia.
But thousands of years ago there were people at Narwala Gabarnmung (Nawarla = "place of", Gabarnmung = "hole in the rock") in Australia's Northern territory, Arnhem Land.
Although it was only revealed to scientists in 2006, Narwala Gabarnmung is one of 117 site complexes containing more than 4,000 artworks that Aboriginal elders have watched over across centuries.
When archaeologist Bruno David was given permission by Jawoyn elders to excavate here in 2010 he found layers of charcoal beneath the rock shelter floor—evidence of campfires he believed perhaps burned a few hundred years ago.
But radio-carbon dating the charcoal remains revealed a very different age.
The very oldest layers of charcoal turned out to be between 48,000 and 50,000-years-old—making Narwala Gabarnmung the oldest site of human occupation anywhere in Australia.