Chasm Island: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia}} |
{{Short description|Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia}} |
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'''Chasm Island''' is an island in the [[Gulf of Carpentaria]], located in the state of the [[Northern Territory]], Australia, in the |
'''Chasm Island''' is an island in the [[Gulf of Carpentaria]], located in the state of the [[Northern Territory]], Australia, in the northernmost part of the continent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GeoNames.org |url=http://www.geonames.org/2074550/chasm%20island.html |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.geonames.org}}</ref> Its European name was given when, after sailing around [[Groote Eylandt]] between 5 and 14 January 1803, [[Matthew Flinders|Matthews Flinders]] accompanying scientific party landed on the small island to take bearings and found that deep chasms in the cliffs made it difficult to reach the top.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Morgan |first=Kenneth |title=Matthew Flinders, maritime explorer of Australia |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |year=2014 |isbn=9781474210805 |edition=eBook |location=London |pages=125 |language=en |oclc=974935350}}</ref> |
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== Geography == |
== Geography == |
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== Culture == |
== Culture == |
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Traditional owners relate in their mythology the creation of the archipelago of the Gulf, including Chasm Island, by a shark figure.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Peterson |first=Nicolas |title=Customary marine tenure in Australia |last2=Rigsby |first2=Bruce |publisher=Oceania Publications, University of Sydney |year=1998 |isbn=9781864513585 |edition=1st |location=Sydney, Australia |pages=241 |language=en-au |oclc=47050503}}</ref> The first European discovery of aboriginal rock paintings took place on 14 January 1803. During a surveying expedition along the shores and islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, British navigator and explorer Matthew Flinders made landfall on Chasm Island. Within the island's rock shelters, Flinders discovered an array of painted and stenciled patterns. To record these images, he enlisted the ship's artist, [[William Westall]]. Westall's two [[Watercolor painting|watercolour]] sketches are the earliest known documentation of Australian [[rock art]]. In his journal, Flinders not only detailed the location and the artworks but also authored the inaugural site report:<blockquote>In the deep sides of the chasms were deep holes or caverns undermining the cliffs; upon the walls of which I found rude drawings, made with charcoal and something like red paint upon the white ground of the rock. These drawings represented porpoises, turtle, kanguroos, and a human hand; and Mr. Westall, who went afterwards to see them, found the representation of a kanguroo [sic], with a file of thirty-two persons following after it. The third person of the band was twice the height of the others, and held in his hand something resembling the whaddie, or wooden sword of the natives of [[Port Jackson]]; and was probably intended to represent a chief. They could not, as with us, indicate superiority by clothing or ornament, since they wore none of any kind; and therefore, with the addition of a weapon, similar to the ancients, they seem to have made superiority of person the principal emblem of superior power, of which, indeed, power is usually a consequence in the very early stages of society.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chaloupka |first=George |title=Journey in time : the world's longest continuing art tradition : the 50,000-year story of the Australian Aboriginal rock art of Arnhem Land |last2=Mulvaney |first2=D. J. |publisher=Reed New Holland Publishers |year=2023 |isbn=9781760793630 |location=Sydney, N.S.W. |oclc=1258120390}}</ref></blockquote> |
Traditional owners relate in their mythology the creation of the archipelago of the Gulf, including Chasm Island, by a shark figure.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Peterson |first=Nicolas |title=Customary marine tenure in Australia |last2=Rigsby |first2=Bruce |publisher=Oceania Publications, University of Sydney |year=1998 |isbn=9781864513585 |edition=1st |location=Sydney, Australia |pages=241 |language=en-au |oclc=47050503}}</ref> The first European discovery of aboriginal rock paintings took place on 14 January 1803.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=McCarthy |first=Frederick D. |title=The cave paintings of Groote, Eylandt and Chasm Island |last2=Australian Museum |publisher=Australian Museum |year=1960 |location=Sydney, N.S.W. |language=EN |oclc=271765347}}</ref> During a surveying expedition along the shores and islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, British navigator and explorer Matthew Flinders made landfall on Chasm Island. Within the island's rock shelters, Flinders discovered an array of painted and stenciled patterns. To record these images, he enlisted the ship's artist, [[William Westall]]. Westall's two [[Watercolor painting|watercolour]] sketches are the earliest known documentation of Australian [[rock art]]. In his journal, Flinders not only detailed the location and the artworks but also authored the inaugural site report:<blockquote>In the deep sides of the chasms were deep holes or caverns undermining the cliffs; upon the walls of which I found rude drawings, made with charcoal and something like red paint upon the white ground of the rock. These drawings represented porpoises, turtle, kanguroos, and a human hand; and Mr. Westall, who went afterwards to see them, found the representation of a kanguroo [sic], with a file of thirty-two persons following after it. The third person of the band was twice the height of the others, and held in his hand something resembling the whaddie, or wooden sword of the natives of [[Port Jackson]]; and was probably intended to represent a chief. They could not, as with us, indicate superiority by clothing or ornament, since they wore none of any kind; and therefore, with the addition of a weapon, similar to the ancients, they seem to have made superiority of person the principal emblem of superior power, of which, indeed, power is usually a consequence in the very early stages of society.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chaloupka |first=George |title=Journey in time : the world's longest continuing art tradition : the 50,000-year story of the Australian Aboriginal rock art of Arnhem Land |last2=Mulvaney |first2=D. J. |publisher=Reed New Holland Publishers |year=2023 |isbn=9781760793630 |location=Sydney, N.S.W. |oclc=1258120390}}</ref></blockquote>McCarthy<ref name=":0" /> notes that the rock engravings embody the labour of countless generations of Aboriginal artists spanning thousands of years. Over this extended period, their artistic styles evolved, starting from basic outlines in the earliest stages. This progression led to a phase of linear designs before culminating in the final era characterised by pecked intaglios. Initially meticulously crafted, but over time transitioning into rougher peckings on the eroded crust of the boulders. Such shifts in engraving styles, a widespread phenomenon in prehistoric Australia, frequently coincided with notable changes in subject matter. It's likely that these transformations reflected significant shifts in religious beliefs and rituals.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McCarthy |first=Frederick D. |date=1 February 1964 |title=Island Art Galleries |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-756042096 |journal=Walkabout |volume=30 |issue=2 |pages=38}}</ref> |
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Members of the [[1948 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land]] made tracings and photographs of the rock art.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=31 October 1956 |title=In Arnhem Land |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-694467397 |journal=The Bulletin |volume=77 |issue=4003 |pages=2 |via=Trove}}</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 05:34, 17 August 2023
Chasm Island is an island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, located in the state of the Northern Territory, Australia, in the northernmost part of the continent.[1] Its European name was given when, after sailing around Groote Eylandt between 5 and 14 January 1803, Matthews Flinders accompanying scientific party landed on the small island to take bearings and found that deep chasms in the cliffs made it difficult to reach the top.[2]
Geography
Chasm Island covers 3.2 square kilometres and the topography is flat, the highest point of the island being 79 meters above sea level. It covers 1.9 km from north to south and 3.0 km from east to west.[3]
Climate
The savanna climate average temperature is 25 °C. The warmest month is November, at 29 °C, and the coldest is July, at 22 °C. The average rainfall is 1,184 millimetres per year. The wettest month is March, with 332 millimeters of rain, and the driest is July, with 3 millimetres.
Population
Less than 2 people per square kilometre.
Culture
Traditional owners relate in their mythology the creation of the archipelago of the Gulf, including Chasm Island, by a shark figure.[4] The first European discovery of aboriginal rock paintings took place on 14 January 1803.[5] During a surveying expedition along the shores and islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, British navigator and explorer Matthew Flinders made landfall on Chasm Island. Within the island's rock shelters, Flinders discovered an array of painted and stenciled patterns. To record these images, he enlisted the ship's artist, William Westall. Westall's two watercolour sketches are the earliest known documentation of Australian rock art. In his journal, Flinders not only detailed the location and the artworks but also authored the inaugural site report:
In the deep sides of the chasms were deep holes or caverns undermining the cliffs; upon the walls of which I found rude drawings, made with charcoal and something like red paint upon the white ground of the rock. These drawings represented porpoises, turtle, kanguroos, and a human hand; and Mr. Westall, who went afterwards to see them, found the representation of a kanguroo [sic], with a file of thirty-two persons following after it. The third person of the band was twice the height of the others, and held in his hand something resembling the whaddie, or wooden sword of the natives of Port Jackson; and was probably intended to represent a chief. They could not, as with us, indicate superiority by clothing or ornament, since they wore none of any kind; and therefore, with the addition of a weapon, similar to the ancients, they seem to have made superiority of person the principal emblem of superior power, of which, indeed, power is usually a consequence in the very early stages of society.[6]
McCarthy[5] notes that the rock engravings embody the labour of countless generations of Aboriginal artists spanning thousands of years. Over this extended period, their artistic styles evolved, starting from basic outlines in the earliest stages. This progression led to a phase of linear designs before culminating in the final era characterised by pecked intaglios. Initially meticulously crafted, but over time transitioning into rougher peckings on the eroded crust of the boulders. Such shifts in engraving styles, a widespread phenomenon in prehistoric Australia, frequently coincided with notable changes in subject matter. It's likely that these transformations reflected significant shifts in religious beliefs and rituals.[7]
Members of the 1948 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land made tracings and photographs of the rock art.[8]
References
- ^ "GeoNames.org". www.geonames.org. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
- ^ Morgan, Kenneth (2014). Matthew Flinders, maritime explorer of Australia (eBook ed.). London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 125. ISBN 9781474210805. OCLC 974935350.
- ^ Army Topographic Support Establishment (Australia) (1998). Australia 1:50 000 topographic survey. 6270 4, Chasm Island, Northern Territory (Map) (1-AAS ed.). ATSE. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ Peterson, Nicolas; Rigsby, Bruce (1998). Customary marine tenure in Australia (1st ed.). Sydney, Australia: Oceania Publications, University of Sydney. p. 241. ISBN 9781864513585. OCLC 47050503.
- ^ a b McCarthy, Frederick D.; Australian Museum (1960). The cave paintings of Groote, Eylandt and Chasm Island. Sydney, N.S.W.: Australian Museum. OCLC 271765347.
- ^ Chaloupka, George; Mulvaney, D. J. (2023). Journey in time : the world's longest continuing art tradition : the 50,000-year story of the Australian Aboriginal rock art of Arnhem Land. Sydney, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. ISBN 9781760793630. OCLC 1258120390.
- ^ McCarthy, Frederick D. (1 February 1964). "Island Art Galleries". Walkabout. 30 (2): 38.
- ^ "In Arnhem Land". The Bulletin. 77 (4003): 2. 31 October 1956 – via Trove.