Ice Age Dargan Shelter Reveals 20,000-Year-Old High-Altitude Human Occupation Australia

Archaeologists from the Australian Museum, the University of Sydney, and the Australian National University, in collaboration with First Nations community members, have uncovered 693 stone artefacts in Dargan Shelter, a cave located over 1,000 meters above sea level in the Blue Mountains, dating back as far as 20,000 years to the last Ice Age. This discovery challenges previous assumptions that Australia's high-altitude landscapes were uninhabitable during glacial periods, providing the earliest evidence of repeated human occupation and adaptation to harsh, periglacial environments in Australia. The site, regarded as the oldest known high-elevation human occupation on the continent, holds significant cultural value for Aboriginal peoples, with the excavation carried out following Indigenous protocols and involving local custodians in all stages of research and artifact management. The artefacts, including stone tools and a sandstone grinding slab, were remarkably well-preserved in deep sediment layers, allowing researchers to reconstruct continuous human activity in an area previously thought too cold and difficult to sustain life. The findings align Australia with global data showing that glacial landscapes worldwide were inhabited, underscoring the resilience and adaptability of First Nations ancestors. This research not only enriches understanding of Australia's archaeological record but strengthens cultural connections and conservation efforts in the Blue Mountains region.