Archaeologists in southeastern Australia have unearthed wooden artifacts in Cloggs Cave that may date back 12,000 years.

The artifacts are made of Casuarina wood coated with animal or human fat.

These artifacts align with a 19th-century ethnographic account describing a healing ritual practiced by the GunaiKurnai Aboriginal people.

The discovery suggests that this ritual may be the oldest known culturally transmitted ritual globally.

Scientific analysis and Aboriginal oral history were used to study the artifacts, indicating a specific ritual purpose.

The collaboration between the GunaiKurnai community and Monash University has been crucial in understanding these insights into Indigenous cultural practices.

GunaiKurnai elder Russell Mullett emphasizes the importance of oral traditions in preserving and understanding Indigenous rituals.

The research highlights the continuity of cultural practices over generations and the impact of colonization and Westernization on Indigenous knowledge in Australia.