Dendroglyphs, Pictographs and Social Identity in the Wet Tropics Rainforest of Northeastern Australia

Abstract

This research examines rock art and dendroglyphs in the Wet Tropics of northeast Australia to investigate their relationship to linguistic social identity. The region was selected for its complex socio-cultural landscape, marked by a diversity of languages in a distinct, relatively small area. The study was co-designed with nine First Nations partner organisations representing five language groups and employed rock art methodologies and interviews with First Nation knowledge holders. Findings reveal that neither rock art nor dendroglyph motifs correspond neatly with linguistic boundaries. Within a single language area, stylistic variations were observed—rock art is more figurative in the east and abstract in the west, while dendroglyphs, found only in the eastern Wet Tropics, feature predominantly abstract designs. Rather than signifying socio-cultural differences, the dendroglyphs and rock art illustrate connections. Senior custodians identify dendroglyphs as story places, clan symbols, and sites of cultural significance, reflecting a deep and enduring relationship by First Nations with these rare cultural expressions. This study contributes new insights into dendroglyphs and rock art in Queensland's Wet Tropics rainforests, challenging assumptions that stylistic boundaries align strictly with language groups and significantly broadening knowledge of Australian dendroglyphs.