50,000-Year-Old Grocery and Pharmacy Discovered

The land of the Martu people in the Western Desert of Australia is revealing its history. An archaeological dig is using archaeobotanists from the University of Western Australia and the Martu to identify substances found in a settlement that dates back more than 50,000 years.

The Aboriginals of this area know every kind of acacia tree in the desert, because they were used for so many purposes, including food, firewood, building materials, and medicine. These same species of bushes were found in the charcoal left by ancient people at the site. In particular, they found ancient remains of golden wattle, which is the national flower of Australia. Golden wattle acacias provided a consistent supply of food and medicine to those who lived in this region, and evidence from the site shows what time of year it was burned, giving clues as to its use.

Scientists believed the site was used for tens of thousand of years. Read more about this research at Archaeology World. -via Strange Company ​

(Image credit: James St. John) 

#archaeology #Australia #wattle #acacia