The “petrified” man of Naracoorte, South Australia. An early example of nineteenth century tourist interests in Indigenous subjects

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the 1840s European colonists found the naturally preserved body of an Aboriginal man deep within the Naracoorte Caves of South Australia, which were to become a major tourist destination. As an example of a so-called “petrified Aborigine”, the calcified body became a key attraction for nineteenth century tourists to the region, prior to its theft and incorporation into a museum exhibit. This paper traces the history of the preserved body’s discovery to its eventual disappearance, and discusses the wide-ranging accounts of its origin and cultural significance.