Juukan Gorge yields 50,000 artefacts in one of Australia's most significant archaeological excavations
The dig, commissioned by traditional owners, has uncovered evidence of continuous Aboriginal occupation spanning more than 50,000 years
Archaeologists working at the ruins of Juukan Gorge in Western Australia's Pilbara region have recovered 50,000 artefacts, with some dating back 50,000 years, in what lead researcher Michael Slack has described as one of the most important sites in Australian archaeology. The excavation, commissioned by the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people (PKKP), is the first full scientific dig at the rock shelter since Rio Tinto's authorised mining blast destroyed it in 2020.