A burial site discovered in the Australian State of New South Wales has produced new evidence of a millennia-old relationship between First Nations people and dingoes in the region. The site also shows one of the earliest recorded examples of a “feeding” practice, in which river mussel shells were added to the site over hundreds of years.
Amy Way, an archaeologist at the University of Sydney who co-authored a new paper in Australian Archaeology about the discovery, said in a statement, “While Barkindji people have always known about this cultural practice, this discovery is really powerful because it provides new details on the depth of that relationship between Barkindji people and dingoes.”
Read More: Dingoes and Domestic Dogs: Common Ancestors, but Different Evolutionary Paths
Caring for an Ancient Dingo
Dingo skeleton uncovered at the excavation site.
(Image Credit: Dr Amy Way, Australian Museum)
The Barkindji people have lived along the Baaka, or Darling, river for millennia. Barkindji Elder Badger Bates and archeologist Dan Witter discovered the new burial site in a road cutting alongside the Baaka. Way has been working alongside Barkindji custodians in the area for the last five years.
A lone dingo, or garli in the Barkindji language, was buried in the site, where it appeared to have been interred with much care inside a burial midden. Its skeleton had emerged from the midden due to years of erosion. Radiocarbon dating showed that someone buried the animal between 963 and 916 years ago.
“If garli were buried with the same care and respect we see for human ancestors, including mothers and elders, it tells us these animals were profoundly valued and loved,” Way said.
The garli’s remains suggest the animal was male and that he died between four and seven years old — a good age for a dingo. The skeleton’s teeth were worn down, suggesting a long life. Researchers also noted that the garli appeared to have been badly injured during his lifetime, showing signs of broken ribs and a leg.
These injuries suggest a kangaroo had kicked the canine, according to researchers. But these injuries had healed, suggesting that Barkindji people had cared for the animal while he recovered.
A Sacred Companion
Layout of the dingo skeleton
(Image Credit: Amy Way, Australian Museum)
Someone created the garli’s midden either shortly before or at the same time that it died. But local people had added to the burial site for centuries. Barkindji Elders have suggested that this practice was part of a “feeding” ritual honoring the garli as an ancestor.
“The healed injuries, worn teeth, and careful burial tell us this animal lived a long life alongside people, and that his death was marked intentionally and with respect,” said Loukas Koungoulos, a dingo researcher at the University of Western Australia, in the press release.
Australia’s First Nations peoples have worked alongside dingoes for millennia since the canines first arrived in the area around 5,000 years ago. They used dingoes to hunt large animals like kangaroos and emus.
The new findings suggest that dingo burial practices were more widespread than previously thought.
“Dingoes like this garli weren’t simply tolerated around camps. They were tamed, lived with people, and were embedded in daily life,” said Koungoulos.
Read More: These 5 Ancient Civilizations Treasured Their Pets
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- This article includes information from a study published in Australian Archaeology: Garli: A millennium-old dingo burial on the Baaka (Darling River), Kinchega National Park, Menindee Lakes, Western New South Wales
