Aboriginal stone arrangement facts for kids
Aboriginal stone arrangements are special artworks made by Aboriginal people a long time ago. They are usually patterns of stones laid out on the ground. Each stone might be about 30 centimetres (12 in) big, and the whole pattern can spread out over many metres. These arrangements are found in many different Australian Aboriginal cultures. People believe they were often used for important spiritual ceremonies.
Amazing Stone Circles in Victoria
Some of the most impressive stone arrangements are in Victoria. Here, the stones can be very large, sometimes up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) tall!
One famous example is the Wurdi Youang stone arrangement. It has about 100 stones shaped like an egg, stretching about 50 metres (160 ft) wide. The stones are firmly placed in the ground, and many have smaller "trigger-stones" to help hold them up. This site looks a lot like the big stone circles found in Britain, like Stonehenge. However, the Aboriginal arrangements had different purposes and were part of a different culture.
We know for sure that Wurdi Youang was made by Aboriginal people. Its exact purpose isn't fully clear, but it might have been used for special initiation ceremonies where young people became adults. Some experts also think it might have been used to study the stars and sky, like an ancient observatory (Morieson 2003). Other well-known stone arrangements in Victoria include those at Carisbrook and Lake Bolac.
Tall Stones in Western Australia
Murujuga, also known as the Burrup Peninsula or Dampier Archipelago in Western Australia, has Australia's largest collection of standing stones. Some of these stones are very tall, similar to the European menhirs. You can also find circular stone arrangements there.
Unique Art in Arnhem Land
A very different type of stone arrangement is found near Yirrkala in Arnhem Land. These arrangements show detailed pictures of the praus. These were boats used by Macassan fishermen who came to Australia to fish for trepang (sea cucumbers). This happened hundreds of years before Europeans arrived.
The stones here are small, usually about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) to 20 centimetres (7.9 in). They sit on the surface of the ground, so they can be easily moved or damaged. This means we need to be careful when studying them. Similar arrangements are found in other remote parts of Australia. Many more probably existed before European settlers arrived.
Bora Rings for Coming of Age
In south-east Australia, you can find Bora rings. These are made of two circles of stones, one larger than the other. They were used in important initiation ceremonies and rites of passage. During these ceremonies, boys would go through special rituals to become men.
Stones Pointing to the Sky
Some Aboriginal stone arrangements in south-east Australia are lined up very precisely with the main directions like north, south, east, and west. The Wurdi Youang stone arrangement, for example, points to where the sun sets during the longest and shortest days of the year (solstices). It is built very accurately along the east-west direction. This need for exact direction is also seen in how the graves of deceased Kamilaroi men were often oriented with great precision.
See also
- Indigenous Australian art
- Aboriginal Astronomy
- Archaeoastronomy
