12,000-Year-Old Ritual Artifacts Discovered in Australian Cave

Findings suggest the longest continuous cultural practice, offering insights into ancient Indigenous traditions.

Archaeologists found two wooden sticks in Cloggs Cave, southeastern Australia, dating back 11,000 to 12,000 years.
The sticks were used in rituals similar to those documented among the GunaiKurnai people in the 19th century.
Chemical analysis showed the sticks were smeared with animal or human fat and lightly burnt in small fires.
The discovery highlights a 12,000-year span of cultural continuity, the longest known globally.
Collaboration between researchers and Indigenous Elders was crucial in uncovering and interpreting the artifacts.