An international team has revealed hundreds of human fingerprints in a cave in the Southeast Australian. This millennial testimony sheds light on a mysterious ritual of the Gunaikurnai people, transmitted through generations.
A sparkling caves contained 950 human imprints preserved for millennia
In the Waribruk cavenestled in the foothills of Victorian Alpsresearchers have identified 950 digital brands. Ces groovesdrawn by human fingers, go back to 8,400 to 1,800 yearsaccording to analyzes at radiocarbon. They dated these brands from Fragments of coal and ash found at the foot of the decorated walls.
Unlike most caves, this glasses. THE wallscovered with microcrystals trained by bacteria, Think artificial light. Consequently, scientists assume that the participants used torches To reveal the flickeringadding a essential visual dimension au ritual.
Therefore, this underground place was not just a natural shelter: it offered a particular sensory experiencelinked to the lightto the matter and at gesture.
The layout of the imprints reveals a Structured ritual gesturetransmitted and repeated
Far from being arranged at random, the fingerprints follow clear patterns. For example, some horizontal marks were traced simultaneously with several fingers. Other lines, vertical or diagonaloverlap them. Thus, these overlap reveal a gestural continuityprobably transmitted over time.
In addition, several extremely fine imprints (only 3 to 5 mm wide) show that young children participated. However, their position on the wall suggests that a adult raised them to allow them to contribute. This detail highlights a Intergenerational dimension of the ritualessential to its transmission.
In addition, the most marked areas require crawl or squat. Therefore, thephysical effort asked to reach decorated surfaces accentuates their Sacred and reserved character.
In other words, all of these clues confirm that these gestures responded to a coderepeated and transmitted, in a well -defined context.
The total absence of domestic activity confirms a Sacred space reserved for initiates
At no time did archaeologists found any daily life traces. They did not discover Complete householdsat toolsat food remains. In this sense, this confirms the Oral traditions of the Gunikurnaiwho describe Waribru like a Space reserved for Mulla-Mullung : of the healers et Hidden knowledge holders.
In addition, the fingerprints appear only on scintillating walls. This choice cannot be accidental. It strengthens the idea that the Contact with brilliant material had a symbolic function. Besides, a ancient testimonycollected by the ethnographer Alfred Howitttells how a man named Veil was initiated into a brilliant caves by his father, to learn how to handle the Power of crystals.
Thus, everything seems to indicate that these gestures were part of a Sacred learningtransmitted in a Place inaccessible to common.
A gesture frozen in stone, more precious than objects
Unlike Objects or tools often discovered in excavation, here, it is the gesture itself that the researchers found. When the fingers slipped on the still soft rockthey left a Precise trace. Then the crystals have hardened the surface, Fossilizing movement.
Today, this natural archive gives access to a Body and spiritual memory. Thanks to a close collaboration between scientists and Gunikurnai cultural guardsce ancient ritual find its place in our common story. So, Waribru is not only a archaeological site : it’s a place of transmissionwhere the Pierre still speaks.
