Looking out for the Burrup rock art

In this vodcast, we follow a team of CSIRO scientists as they journey through the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia examining ancient Aboriginal rock art for any changes in colour, contrast or chemical composition possibly brought on from emissions from local industry.

The CSIRO was commissioned by the Burrup Rock Art Monitoring Management Committee, in conjunction with the Western Australian Department of State Development, to undertake this environmental study involving scientists from CSIROs Materials Science and Engineering and the Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship.

The Aboriginal rock art in the Burrup are not paintings, but rather petroglyphs, images that have been created by chipping or engraving into the surface-weathered coat of the boulders that characterise the area. These petroglyphs have cultural significance for the local Aboriginal people, as well as being archaeologically important at a national and international level.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• CSIRO
• rock art
• Indigenous rock art
• environment
• Australian aboriginal rock art
• Karratha
• petroglyph
• Burrup peninsula
• emissions
• air pollutants
• Pilbara
• Western Australia
• iron ore
• sea salt
• airborne pollutants
• spectrophotometry
• reflectance spectroscopy

[Ngarluma78]

Disappointing that CSIRO dont have any traditional owners out on the filed trip.

its a lack of respect walking out on the islands without permission from them.

[csiro]

@Ngarluma78, thanks for your comment. We just want to reassure you that this work couldn't have happened without the traditional owners' permission. The decision about which sites to monitor was made with the traditional owners who also granted us permission to go out to the sites. CSIRO was very careful to ensure that the wishes of the traditional owners were respected and that all of the appropriate protocols were followed.

[MrArthurFortune]

Yes I like the cut of your jib. Nice landscape too

[brindy44]

I love your work! What a great video with an amazing adventure. Good to see you are not afraid to do the hard yards to get the rewarding results. Good work and look forward to more of your work.

[stylnadrn]

Do you know I love you and you're very educational videos does my niece Desi.

[stylnadrn]

Glen, as technical as it gets I love the friendly little quips with a sea turtle or Kangaroo. I am not sure why it matters but I am glad someone is charting it but I am happier that you are talking about it. I could listen to you all day long. :)