Scientific Paper published by David M. Welch

Early 'naturalistic' Human Figures In The Kimberley

By David M. Welch

Abstract. This paper describes the earliest surviving paintings of anthropomorphs in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. These paintings appear as ochre stains bonded to quartz-sandstone rock, and most survive as monochrome ‘naturalistic’ forms. From these human figures, at least two tentative main groups emerge. These two groups, ‘tasselled figures’ and ‘bent knee figures’, are discussed here in detail.