Australian Cave Reveals 25,000 Years of Ritual Grass Burning

Archaeological evidence suggests Cloggs Cave in Australia was a site for ritual practices spanning approximately 25,000 years. Researchers found microscopic plant remains, called phytoliths, from burned grasses inside the cave. These findings indicate that people intentionally carried whole grasses into the dark cave and burned them in thin layers.

The GunaiKurnai, an Australian Aboriginal nation, are the traditional custodians of the land where Cloggs Cave is located. Historical accounts and oral traditions describe caves in their territory as places for spiritual practices. These practices involved learned women and men, known as 'mulla-mullung', who performed magic, healing, and cursing.

Dr. Elle Grono, a postdoctoral researcher at the Australian National University, led the study. The research team analyzed phytoliths from buried sediments. Phytoliths are microscopic silica structures that remain after plants decay. The presence of these plant remains in a dark cave, where plants cannot grow naturally, points to human activity.

The upper sections of two excavation pits contained 73 thin layers of ash. These layers were deposited between approximately 4,400 and 1,600 years ago. A standing stone, 28 centimeters high, was also discovered. It was placed in the cave around 2,000 years ago for ritual purposes.

The team identified 29 types of phytoliths from grasses, herbs, and woody plants. Grass phytoliths constituted up to 97% of the samples. The specific types of grasses found suggest deliberate selection rather than random gathering. The burning of these grasses aligns with GunaiKurnai traditional practices of using ash for magic and rituals.

Professor Bruno David from Monash University co-led the excavations. He noted that other macro-botanical evidence, such as fat-smeared wooden sticks, also indicates ritual use. This suggests Cloggs Cave served as a long-lasting spiritual site, not an ordinary living space.