Home Australia 1,400-year-old mystery outside of Aussie city is finally solved

1,400-year-old mystery outside of Aussie city is finally solved

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Solved the enigma of the mysterious rings found in Australia
  • Ancient Australian mystery finally solved
  • Ring formations created by indigenous communities.

A 1,400-year-old archaeological mystery has just been solved and has given researchers a deeper insight into Aboriginal culture.

Scientists say the strange-looking rings on the outskirts of Melbourne have nothing to do with aliens, but were created by the local Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people just as the Mycenaean era began in ancient Greece.

The large rings, found in Sunbury, have long been a mystery, as have similar rings that have been found in the UK and Cambodia.

It is believed that the ancients dug and gathered earth which then formed large circles measuring hundreds of meters in diameter.

It is estimated that more than 400 rings once existed in New South Wales and Queensland, but today only about 100 remain after many were destroyed following European colonization.

They also have significant cultural and historical importance to Aboriginal groups.

The elders of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung culture explained that they reflect on occupation, colonization, self-determination, adaptation and resilience of people.

Solved the enigma of the mysterious rings found in Australia

Sunbury residents have often wondered what the strange looking rings in their neighborhood were.

Sunbury residents have often wondered what the strange looking rings in their neighborhood were.

The scientists behind the study, published in Australian Archaeology, said that while previous research indicated the rings were sacred sites, not much had been documented from the perspective of cultural and landscape values.

They now claim that understanding the earth rings involved knowing the Aboriginal culture’s view of the land and the effect their ancestors had on the region.

The Aboriginal people of the time cleared the soil and plants while scraping away the dirt and rocks to create the circular mound.

The stones were arranged using layers of rocks, as published findings found that campfires were lit, while stone tools were used to move things in the ring.

One theory is that they could have been used on plants and animals and could also be used to heal human skin in ceremonies.

Scientists said that while the ‘Sunbury Rings’ and their purpose may have faded, they still offer an understanding of the cultural importance of the area, which has been passed down from generation to generation.

The researchers stated that the results brought together the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people’s understanding of the Biik Wurrda cultural landscape.

They claimed it also showed archaeological evidence of cultural fire, carving, moving, trampling and tool use.

In 2020, archaeologists discovered the oldest known underwater Aboriginal archaeological sites off the Pilbara coast of Western Australia.

Hundreds of stone artifacts, including grinding stones and grinders, were found at depths of up to 2.4 meters.

The sites were submerged by rising sea levels between 18,000 and 8,000 years ago.

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