Aboriginal Oral Traditions of Australian Impact Craters

TL;DR

This paper investigates Aboriginal oral traditions related to Australian meteorite craters, revealing cultural narratives about impact origins and non-impact stories across several sites, combining literature review, ethnography, and field data.

Contribution

It documents and analyzes Aboriginal oral traditions associated with impact craters in Australia, highlighting cultural perspectives and discrepancies with scientific impact origins.

Findings

Oral traditions describe impact origins for Gosses Bluff, Henbury, Wolfe Creek.

Liverpool crater's oral tradition suggests a non-impact origin.

Some impact sites lack associated oral traditions despite being formed during human habitation.

Abstract

We explore Aboriginal oral traditions that relate to Australian meteorite craters. Using the literature, first-hand ethnographic records, and fieldtrip data, we identify oral traditions and artworks associated with four impact sites: Gosses Bluff, Henbury, Liverpool, and Wolfe Creek. Oral traditions describe impact origins for Gosses Bluff, Henbury, and Wolfe Creek craters and non-impact origins of Liverpool crater, with Wolfe Creek and Henbury having both impact and non-impact origins in oral tradition. Three impact sites that are believed to have formed during human habitation of Australia - Dalgaranga, Veevers, and Boxhole - do not have associated oral traditions that are reported in the literature.