on Aboriginal Astronomy and Related Subjects for researchers
of the works listed here are specialised - if you want a general introduction,
see the books and links at the bottom of this page.
on those entries highlighted in blue below to see an electronic version.
Electronic versions exist of most of the papers cited here. They will
be made available here after appropriate permissions have been obtained.
the note at the bottom of the Credits page
Papers by Ray and his colleagues:
N287: Ethnoastronomy in Australia
Ray. P. Norris & Duane Hamacher, 2012
To appear in "Handbook of cultural astronomy", ed. C. Ruggles, Pub. Springer
N278: Orientations of Linear Stone Arrangements in New South Wales
Duane W. Hamacher, Robert S. Fuller and Ray P. Norris, 2013
Australian Archaeology, 75, 46-54
N268: "Bridging the Gap” through Australian Cultural Astronomy
Duane Hamacher & Ray P. Norris in IAU Symposium 278: Archaeoastronomy & Astronomy in Culture, ed. C Ruggles
N259: Eclipses in Australian Aboriginal Astronomy
Duane W. Hamacher and Ray P. Norris, 2011, Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 14, 103.
N258: Wurdi Youang: An Australian Aboriginal Stone Circle with possible solar indications.
Ray P. Norris, Cilla M. Norris, Duane W. Hamacher, and Reg Abrahams , 2012, Rock Art Research, in press.
N255: Astronomical Symbolism in Australian Aboriginal Rock Art
Ray P. Norris & Duane Hamacher, 2011, Rock Art Research, 28, 99
N254: Australian Aboriginal Astronomy in the International Year of Astronomy
Norris, Ray P., 2010, Communication Astronomy with the Public Journal, 9, 5
N244: Comets in Australian Aboriginal Astronomy
Duane W. Hamacher & Ray P. Norris, 2010, Journal for Astronomical History & Heritage, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp 31-40
N243: Australian Aboriginal Geomythology: eyewitness accounts of cosmic impacts?
Duane W. Hamacher & Ray P. Norris, 2009 Archaeoastronomy. 22, 62-95.
N242: Meteors in Australian Aboriginal Dreaming
Duane W. Hamacher & Ray P. Norris, 2010, in WGN: The Journal of the International Meteor Organisation,
N232: Emu Dreaming: An Introduction to Australian Aboriginal Astronomy
Ray P. Norris, & Cilla Norris, 2009, published by Emu Dreaming, Sydney. ISBN 978-0-9806570-0-5 http://www.emudreaming.com
N230: The Astronomy of Aboriginal Australia
Ray P. Norris, Duane W. Hamacher, The Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture, Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 260, 2009, D. Valls-Gabaud & A. Boksenberg, eds.
N220: Emu Dreaming
Ray P. Norris, 2008, in Australasian Science, Vol 29, No. 4 (May 2008)
N219: Star Dreaming in Arnhem Land
Ray P. Norris, 2008, Cosmos, April/May 2008.
N217: In Search of Aboriginal Astronomy
Ray P. Norris, 2008, Australian Sky & Telescope, March/April issue, 2008.
N214: Searching for the Astronomy of Aboriginal Australians
Ray P. Norris, 2007, in Astronomy & Cosmology in Folk Traditions and Cultural Heritage, ed. Jonas Vaiskunas
(Conference Proceedings from the VIIIth Oxford International Conference on Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture).
Aboriginal Affairs Victoria, 2003, Aboriginal Rock Art
A short leaflet introducing Australian Rock Art. No detailed info.
Aboriginal Affairs Victoria, 2003, Aboriginal Stone Arrangements
A short leaflet introducing Australian Stone Arrangements. No detailed
Allen, Louis A, 1975, ,Time before Morning, publ Cowell,
A detailed account of the Yolngu morning star ceremony & myths,
with a foreword by Tindale
Andrews, Munya, 2004, The seven sisters of the Pleiades: Stories from
around the world. Melbourne: Spinifex Press
David (1963) Quest under Capricorn, Lutterworth Press. Interesting
from a historical perspective, as he presents one of the first popular
views of the now-famous rock art in Kakadu.
Attenbrow, V., Sydneys Aboriginal Past, UNSW Press,
Excellent authoritative coffee-table book from an archaeological perspective.
Includes Sites-to-visit supplement which contains good descriptions
of several engraving sites.
Ball, Diane, 1993, Daughters of the Dreaming, Allen &
A section includes the maintenance of a stone arrangement by Warlpiri
women, somewhere near Alice Springs.
Basedow, H. (1925). The Australian Aboriginal. Adelaide, F.W. Preece
Daisy (1944) "The Passing of the Aborigines". Idiosyncratic
account of indigenous people in SA and WA in the early part of the 20th
Bell, D. (1983). Daughters of the Dreaming. Melbourne, McPhee Gribble.
Berndt, & Stanton, 1993, A World that Was
Contains some (garbled) accounts of how initiation rites were connected
to position of the sky.
Berndt, R. M. 1974, Australian Aboriginal Religion, Brill, Leiden.
Bhathal, Ragbir, & White, Graeme, 1991, Under the Southern Cross,
Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd, Kenthurst. A book about the history of Australian
astronomy which includes a section on aboriginal astronomy.
R., 2006, Astronomy in Aboriginal Culture, News & Reviews
in Astronomy & Geophysics, Vol 47, Issue 5, p. 5.27-5.30. Popular
article on aboriginal astronomy
Bhathal, Ragbir & Faye Moseley, 1996, Aboriginal Astronomy,
Geo magazine, 18,86.
Popular article on aboriginal astronomy
Borsboon, A., 1978, Maradjiri a modern ritual complex in
Arnhem Land, PhD thesis, ANU.
D.F., & Cairns, H.C., 1993, "Tesselated Pavements in the Sydney
Region, New South Wales", Journal and Proceedings of The Royal
Society of New South Wales, 126, 63-72.
D.F., & Cairns, H.C., 1993, "Marks on sandstone surfaces -
Sydney region, Australia: cultural origins and meanings?", Journal
and Proceedings of The Royal Society of New South Wales, 126, 125-133.
S., & Wright, B.,Kakadu. Looking after the country the Gagudju
Beautiful account of the interaction of people and place in Kakadu
L. , 2001, Spirit of the night sky. Marlston, SA: JB Books.
Cairns, H.C., 1991, "Is ancient sky-mapping expressed in prehistoric
artistic material?" in Pager et al (eds) Rock Art - The Way ahead
SARARA 1991 Conference Proceedings Occasional Publication 1, South African
Rock Art Research Association.
H.C., 1993, "Aboriginal sky-mapping Possible astronomical interpretation
of Australian Aboriginal ethnographic and archaeological material"
in C. Ruggles (ed), Archaeoastronomy in the 1990s. Group D publications,
H.C., & Branagan, D.F., 1988, "Star patterns on Sydney Rocks",
First AURA Congress abstracts, Occasional AURA publication 2:35
H.C., & Branagan, D.F., 1992, "Artificial patterns on rock
surfaces in the Sydney Region, NSW: evidence for Aboriginal time scharts
and sky maps?. In J. McDonald and I.P.Haskovec (eds) State of the Art:
Regional Rock Art studies in Australia and Melanesia. Occasional AURA
publication No. 6 Melbourne, 25-31.
H, 1996, Sydney Rock carvings & Astronomy
Proposes that Sydney rock carvings are representations of the sky.
Cairns, H., & Yidumduma Harney, B., Dark Sparklers,
2003. Privately published by Hugh Cairns. Also second edition publ.
2004. Detailed exploration of the astronomical lore of the Wardaman
people. Probably the most detailed study we have of any Aboriginal astronomical
culture, primarily concentrating on the symbolism and cosmology. Written
in a provocative style, with fantastic illustrations by Sam Wortelhock.
A.F., 1894, The Aborigines of Western Australia, Another short amateur
ethnography, one of the few to discuss the Western Australian Aborigines.
It includes the music notation for several short songs.
Campbell, David 1976, 'Ku-Ring-Gai Rock Carvings (Rock Carvings)', in
The History of Australia: Drawings by Keith Looby Songs and Poems by
David Campbell, Macleay Museum, Sydney.
Casey, D.A., 1938, Vict. Naturalist, LIV, 130-133, An Aboriginal
Ceremionial Ground at Lake Wongan, near Streatham, Victoria. Plan and
description of lake Wongan Stone Arrangment.
Chaloupka, G., Journeys in time, Sydney, 1993
Chaseling, Wilbur S. Yulengor:Nomads of Arnhem Land, Epworth
Chaseling was the first missionary at Yirrkala.
Chatwin, Bruce, The Songlines, first published by Joanathan
Cape, 1987. My copy is published by Vintage, 1998. ISBN 0 09 976991
3 Part-autobiographical novel about a journey to the North of Australia
to find out about the aboriginal songlines. Beautifully crafted book,
in which he uses the history and culture of Australian aborigines as
a metaphor for the origin of the human race, our relationship with our
world, and our search for meaning. But it is also an excellent introduction
to the contemporary culture of aboriginal Australia, and the challenges
confronting a westerner who tries to make sense of their culture. Essential
Chippindale,C., & Tacon, P., The Archaeology of Rock Art, Cambridge,
Clark, Ian D, 1995, Scars in the landscape: a register of masscare
sites in Western Victoria, 1803-1859, AIAS report, AIATSIS
Clarke, P.A., 1990, Adelaide Aboriginal Cosmology, J. Anthropological
Soc. Of South Australia 28(1), 1-10.
Clarke, P.A., 2003, Where the Ancestors Walked. Australia as an
aboriginal landscape pub. Allen & Unwin. Discusses how, far
from being Terra Nullius, Australia in 1788 was a land that was the
result of careful husbandry for thousands of years.
Clarke, P.A.,1997, The Aboriginal Cosmic landscape of Southern
South Australia, Records of the South Australian Museum, 29(2),
Useful discussion of SA aboriginal astronomy, including the role of
the sky, evidence that some groups regarded the moon as male and others
female, making notches to record lunar cycles as a way of counting age,
lighting fires at full moon,etc.
Clegg & Barry 2002, Snames and Science
Snames are the circular depressions often found associated with Sydney
Rock engravings. This paper tries to figure out what they are. Includes
good survey of Elvina site.
Clegg, J. K. (in press), 'Berowra Waters Koala Engravings', in Daniel
Lunney, Chris Ann Urquhart & Philip Reed (eds), Koala Summit: Managing
Koalas in New South Wales. Proceedings of the Conference at the University
of Sydney, 7-8 November 1988, New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife
Clegg, J. K. 1979a, 'Prehistoric Pictures', in Stanbury, Peter (ed.),
10000 Years of Sydney Life: A Guide to Archaeological Discovery, Macleay
J. K. 1979b, 'Science, Theory, and Australian Prehistoric Pictures',
Mankind, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 42-51.
Cole, K, Tokens and tamarinds, 1973. Aborigines and Macassans
in Eastern Arnhem Land. Deals with totemism on Bickerton Island and
Cole, K., The Aborigines of Arnhem land, 1979.
Collins, D. 1798-1802, An Account of the English Colony in New South
Wales, London. The standard reference work if you want to know what
the Eora people were doing when the British arrived.
Connah, Graham (ed) Australian Field Archaeology a Guide
Useful but rather dated manual on techniques.
Critchett, J. (1981). Introduction to the Facsimile Edition. Australian
Aborigines. J. Dawson. Canberra, Australian Institute of Aboriginal
P, 2006b, Kaurna Night Skies, ASAA bulletin. Detailed discussion,
with references, of the astronomy and cosmology of the Kaurna people
Curnow, P., 2006a, The Worlds earliest astronomers,
Sky & Space, March/April 2006, p.40. Description of the astronomy
of the people of South Australia
Curr, E. M. (1886). The Australian race: its origin, languages, customs,
place of landing in Australia and the routes by which it spread itself
over the continent. Melbourne, J. Ferres.
S, Johnson, P, & Yuwali Cleared Out
Incredible story of how Yuwali and her companions first encountered
whitefellas in the 1960s
David, B. (2002). Landscapes, rock-art, and the dreaming : an archaeology
of preunderstanding. London, Leicester University Press.
J. (1881). Australian aborigines, the languages and customs of several
tribes of aborigines in the western district of Victoria, Australia.
Melbourne, George Robertson.
J. B. 1980, Illusions, Patterns and Pictures, Academic Press, London
J. B. 1984, Distortion in Art, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.
Ronald, 1916, "Oceanic Mythology" contains an overview of
Australian mythology, as well as comparative material on other Pacific
Drysdale Aboriginal Arnhem Land - The End Of Dreaming
Dun, W. S. 1985, Records of the Geological Survey of New South Wales,
voI. 4, p. 167, pIs 23-4.
Robert, 1979, AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL ART, Alligator Rivers
Region NT(publ by AIATSIC)
El hakim, Fryer, Picard, & Whting, 2004, Digital Recording of Aboriginal
Rock Art. Description of user laser scanning, including nice pics of
Elder, B, 1998, Blood on the Wattle (expanded edition)
Harrowing story of the massacres and maltreatement of aboriginal Australians
by white Europeans. Guaranteed to make your blood boil.
Elkin, A. P. 1949, 'The Origin and Interpretation of Petroglyphs in
South-East Australia', Oceania, voI. 20, no. 2, pp. 119-57. The
first serious interpretation of the Sydney engravings, referenced by
Stanbury & Clegg . Note that they say Vol 22 but its actually
Elkin, A. P., 1964, The Australian Aborigines : How to Understand
Them. Sydney, Angus & Robertson.
A. P., Berndt, Catherine, & Berndt, Ronald, 1950, Art in Arnhem
Land, F. W. Cheshire, Melbourne.
A.P., 1945, Aboriginal men of high degree. Fascinating book.
Written in an idiosyncratic style which tells more about European attitudes
of the time than of aboriginal culture (very patronising, and telepathy
is apparently scientifically possible, but spirits are superstition),
but also gives some good insights into aboriginal culture.
Etheridge, R. 1890, Records of the Geological Survey of New South Wales,
voI. 2, 27, pI 2.
R. 1904, Records of the Australian Museum, voI. 5, pp. 118-22.
S. M. (2001). Patterns in the sky : an introduction to ethnoastronomy.
Prospect Heights, Ill., Waveland Press.
J., Archaeology of the Dreamtime, 1983-89. Excellent background.
Flynn, Rev. Frank, Distant horizons: Mission Impressions,
Account of the authors time running the mission on Bathurst Isalnd.
Fredrick, S., 2005. Thesis Chapter 1: Analysis of Previous Studies
in Aboriginal Astronomy (private communication)
Chandler, and el-Hakim, 2005, Recording And Modelling An Aboriginal
Cave Painting : With Or Without Laser Scanning?" Not about aboriginal
astronomy, but relevant to the question of how best to record sites
that may be astronomical indicators.
Goldsmith, J., 1999, "The emu in the sky", Australian Geographic,
G. N. 1947, Point Piper Past and Present, Ure Smith, Sydney.
J.G., 1923, "Australian Aboriginal Astronomy", J. R. Astr.
Soc. Canada, 17,156
A.C, 1908, Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres
Harney, B., 1959, Tales from the Aborigines. Lots of good
stories, but written in the usual patronising manner of the times. Includes
a few astronomical stories. He wrote several other books in the same
vein, which I don't bother listing here. Note that he was the father
of Bill Yidumduma Harney, elder of the Wardaman people, and co-author
with Hugh Cairns of "Dark Sparklers".
Hart, C.W.M, & Pilling, A.R., The Tiwi People of North Australia,
Haynes, R. D. (1992). "Aboriginal
Astronomy." Australian Journal of Astronomy 4(3): 127 - 140. Reproduced
by permission of Ros Haynes.
R. D. (1995). "Dreaming the Stars. Astronomy of the Australian
Aborigines." Interdisciplinary Science Reviews 20(3): 187 - 197.
R., 1997, Dreaming the Sky, Sky & Telescope, Sept. 1997.
Popular article on aboriginal astronomy Reproduced by permission of
R. D. (2000). Astronomy and the Dreaming: The Astronomy of the Aboriginal
Australians. Astronomy Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Astronomy.
H. Selin and X. Sun. Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Publishers: 53 - 90.
Good overview of the literature. Reproduced by permission of Ros Haynes.
Haynes, R.F., Haynes, R.D., Malin,
D., McGee, R.X., 1996, Explorers of the Southern Sky, CUP.
A general book about the history of Australian astronomy, which includes
an excellent chapter on Aboriginal astronomy. Reproduced by permission
of Ros Haynes.
Healy, G., 2003, Sunset of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Australian
geographic, January-March 2003, p.24-25. Story of the Dja Dja Wurrung
in Victoria. Includes an interview with John Morieson.
Herrmann, D. B., 2006, The
Sky in the World View of Indigenous Australians, preprint. This
English translation reproduced by permission of Prof. Dieter Herrmann.
Higgs & Clegg, 2004, Sydney Daramulan engravings. Extensive paper
on the Elvina track site and other Daramulan engravings.
Hinkson, M., 2001, Aboriginal Sydney, published by AIATSIS,
ISBN 0 85575 370 6
Good tour guide to engravings and other aboriginal sites around Sydney.
Horton, D. (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia : Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander history, society and culture. Canberra, ACT,
Aboriginal Studies Press.
J. (1980). Australian Dreaming : 40,000 years of aboriginal history.
Sydney, Lansdowne Press. Popular (but impressive) coffee-table book
about indigenous cultures. Includes a chapter on astronomy.Wonderful
introduction for the non-specialist. Rather dated now, but still full
of valubale material. Can be found remaindered in many bookshops or
Jennifer Wandjuk Marika, Life Story
Johnson, D., 1998, "Night skies of Aboriginal Australia : a noctuary.
Sydney, N.S.W., University of Sydney." One of the very few authoritative
modern works on Aboriginal astronomy.
Johnson, D., 2000, The Pleiades in Aboriginal Art, in The
Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture, ed. Kleinert &
Neale, OUP. Examines how the Pleiades are seen by various Aborigine
groups, looking at the similarities and differences.
D., 2005, "The southern night sky" in "Macquarie atlas
of Indigenous Australia", eds. Arthur & Morphy, Macquarie Library:
Jordan, Mary Ellen, "Balanda. My year in Arnhem Land"
See review in Australian Aboriginal Studies, 2005/2, p.76
Kaberry, P. M. (1939). Aboriginal women, sacred and profane. London,
Kohen, J., The Darug and their neighbours, 1993
Krefft, G. 1874, 'Aboriginal Australian Artists', Nature, voI. 9, p.322.
Lamshed,M.,1972,Monty: The biography of C.P.Mountford. Excellent
background reading to get an understanding of the background and environment
which generated Mountfords work. Not much about the inner workings
of the man himself, although this can be gleaned from his actions. Includes
the statement (p.146) that There was little doubt, he concluded,
that further investigation would show that the aborigines evolved a
working calendar based on the movement of the stars.
Lane, L., & Fullagar, R., 1980,Previously unrecorded aboriginal
stone arrangements in Victoria, Records of the Victorian Archaeological
Survey, No. 10, June 1980, 134-151. Ministry for Conservation, Victoria.
Surveys of Victorian stone arrangements
Langloh Parker, K. 1953, Australian Legendary Tales, Angus & I Robertson,
Sydney, (rep. 1965), pp. 1-6, 7-8. ,
R., Australian Rock Art: A New Synthesis, Cambridge, 1992.
Lewis, D. (1976). "Observations on route finding and spatial orientation
among the Aboriginal peoples of the Western Desert region of Central
Australia." Oceania 46(4): 249 - 282.
Estelle, 2004, Wajarri Wisdom, Yamaji language centre, Geraldton,
Lockwood, D., Crocodiles & Other People,1959.
Lockwood, D., I, the aboriginal,1962. Biography of Philip
Roberts Waipuldanya of Arnhem Land.
Lonely Planet Guide to Aboriginal Australia & the Torres Strait
Islands. Excellent introduction to the background for the total neophyte.
Lough, J. 1973, 'Rock Art Recording: A Comparison of Techniques', Mankind,
voI. 9, 1, pp. 32-4.
William, 1988, Aboriginal ceremonies of SE Australia, MA
thesis, University of Queensland. Decsription of a Bora.
Lowe, David Forgotten Rebels Black Australians who fought
MacKnight & Gray Aboriginal Stone Pictures - Art In Eastern
Arnhem Land, 1969
Includes info on stone arrangements in Arnhem Land. Publ. by AIATSI
,35 pages It has 17 plates and 7 figures. Includes eastern Arnhem Land
MacPherson, P. (1881). "Astronomy of the Australian Aborigines."
Journal and proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. 15:
B.G., 1932, The astronomy of the Aranda and Luritja Tribes,
Trans. Of the Royal Soc. Of South Australia, 56, 19-26.
Excellent description of Aranda and Luritja astronomy at Hermannsburg.
C. (1995). There's an emu in the sky. Carlton, Vic.: Curriculum Corporation
Manning, J. (1882). "Notes on the Aborigines of New Holland."
Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 16:
155 - 173.
Djambawa, 2006, The importance of literacy in English to participate
in the wider world. Speech given at Garma, 2006. Beautiful description
of the challenges faced by Yolngu in trying to bridge Yolngu matha and
Marshack The roots of civilisation
A., 1963, Native Stone Arrangment at Carisbrook, Vict.Nat.,
First report of the discovery of Carisbrook
Massola, Aldo, Journey to Aboriginal Victoria
Massola, Aldo, 1968, Bunjils cave: Myths, Legends and Superstitions
of the Aborigines of South-East Australia., Lansdowne Press, Melbourne.
A book all about aboriginal mythology in Victoria. Enormous amount of
data, myths, and stories, and many references to constellations and
the stories associated with them.
Massola, Aldo, 1969, The aboriginal people
R.H., The Burbung of the Darkinung Tribes, Proceedings of
the Royal Society of Victoria 10, 1 (1897): 1-12. An eyewitness account
of the Burbung (initiation rite) of the Darkinjung people, North of
Maynard, Lesley 1979, 'The Archaeology of Australian Aboriginal Art',
in Sidney M. Mead (ed.), Exploring the Visual Art of Oceania, The Universities
Press of Hawaii, Honolulu, pp. 83-11C.
F.D., 1967, Australian Aboriginal Rock Art, (3rd ed.) publ
by Australian museum, Sydney. Infuriating but useful book. Contains
lots of useful info. Good pics, but disconnected from text.
McMah, L. M. 1965, A Quantitative Analysis of the Aboriginal Rock Carvings
of the District of Sydney and the Hawkesbury River, BA Hons thesis,
Department of Anthropology, University of Sydney.
L. & Balderstone, S., Kakadu a Heritage for the Future,
Morieson, J. (1996). The Night Sky of the Boorong. Partial Reconstruction
of a Disappeared Culture in North-West Victoria, Unpublished MA Thesis,
University of Melbourne.
J., 1994, Aboriginal Stone Arrangements in Victoria, unpublished?
He examines a number of stone arrangements (including some putative
stone circles) and suggests that they contain astronomical alignments.
Morieson, J., 2002, Stars over Tyrell: the Night Sky Legacy of
the Boorong. Published by Sea Lake Historical Society
Morieson, J., 2003,Solar-based Lithic Design in Victoria, Australia,
in World Archaeological Congress,Washington DC, 2003. Suggests that
some stone arrangements and rock pools are aligned to cardinal points
and perhaps solstice setting points.
Morieson, J., 2004, From archaeo to ethno.
research into Boorong astronomy over the last decade, in proc
of 7th Oxford conference in Arizona. Brief description of the Boorong
astronomy, and interesting description of the cultural problems he has
encountered in trying to give this culture back to the descendants of
Morieson, J., 2006a, Aboriginal Connections with the Mallee Fowl.
Tourist leaflet, published privately(?). Brief introduction to the Boorong
constellations and Neilloan (Lyra) in particular
Morieson, J., 2006d, Ceremonial Hill, published leaflet.
Leaflet describing (for the public) the Ceremonial Hill at Kooyora and
Mallee Fowl connections.
Morphy, H., Deveson, P, Hayne, K, 2005, The Art of Narritjin Maymuru.
CDROM set giving great insight into Yolngu art
Morphy, Howard, 1991, Ancestral Connections
Morrison, Edgar, 1963, Daylesford & District Historical Society,
Memoirs of Edward Stone Parker, 1802-1865. Interesting account
of aborigines at that date in the Loddon Valley (area around Castlemaine
and Daylesford). Note that the date is uncertain 1963 is my guess.
Mountford The Tiwi: Their Art, Myth and Ceremony: First Anthropological
study of the Tiwi on Melville Island.
Mountford, 1927, Aboriginal Stone Structures in South Australia
, Trans & proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia. Describes a number of
square stone arrangements 173 miles N of Adelaide near the
Broken Hill railway line.
Mountford, C. P. (1939). "An Anyamatana Legend of the Pleiades."
Victorian Naturalist 56: 103 - 104.
C. P. (1958). The Tiwi:their art, myth, and ceremony, Phoenix House
in association with Georgian House Melbourne.
C. P. (1976b). Before time began: legends of the Dreamtime. West Melbourne,
C.P., Australian Aboriginal Portriats, 1967
Beautiful book of his portrait photos, taken during his expeditions.
Mountford, C.P., 1950, Brown Men and Red Sand
Mountfords first anthropological book (His first book was The
Art of Albert Namatjira), describing his travels around central
Australia. Note his description of a sky legend (p. 134) and the use
of standing stones (p.142)
Mountford, C.P., 1967, Australian Aboriginal Portraits
Mountford, C.P., 1976,Nomads of the Australian Desert
Seminal book describing his expeditions to central Australia. Includes
a chapter on astronomy, and several other refernces scattered through
Mountford, CP, 1956, Art, Myth, & Symbolism: Records of the
Australian-American Scientific Expedition. Detailed descriptions
of stories and constellations of Arnhem land (Oenpelli, Millingimbi,
Yirrkala, Groote Eylandt). But almost nothing about the Morning Star.
Mowanjum, 1980, Visions of Mowanjum. Aboriginal writings from
the Kimberley. (No primary editor). The stories of the aboriginal
people of the Kimberleys (Worora and others). Includes a bio of David
Mowaljarlai, and two stories of ther Sun and the Moon.
Mullins,Barabra, Cook, Trevor, & Gerritsen, John, Aboriginal
Lore a pictorial review of Aboriginal life, ritual, and
culture as recorded in the marks they left on the land.
Mulvaney, D. J. and J. Kamminga (1999). Prehistory of Australia. St
Leonards, N. S. W., Allen and Unwin.
D.J., (ed), Australian Archaeology: A Guide to field and laboratory
techniques, AIAS. Includes paper by McCarthy on recording rock
Needham, B., 1981, Burragurra: The Spirit Walked: a study of the
aboriginal sites in the Cessnock Wollombi Region of the HunterValley,
80-page description of the Wollombi carvings
Neidje, B, Kakadu man, 1986
Nicholson, C. 1879, 'Report of a Meeting of the Anthropological Institute
Meeting, 25 March', Nature, vol. 19, p. 547.
Nobbs, M. F. & Dorn, R. I. 1988, 'Age Determinations for Rock Varnish
Formation within Petroglyphs', Rock Art Research, vol. 5, no. 2, pp.
Norris, R.P., 2007a, "The Emu in the Sky and other Stories", CSIRO ATNF Newsletter, Nov 2007.
Norris, R.P., 2007b, "Searching for the Astronomy of Aboriginal Australians" in Astronomy & Cosmology in Folk Traditions and Cultural heritage, ed. Jonas Vaiskunas (Conference Proceedings from the VIIIth Oxford International Conference on Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture).
Norris, R.P., 2008a, "In Search of Aboriginal Astronomy", Australian Sky & Telescope, March/April issue, 2008.
Norris, R.P., 2008b, "Ancient Australian Astronomy" in "Zvaigznota Debess" ("The Starry Sky"), in press.
Norris, R.P., 2008c, "Star Dreaming in Arnhem Land", Cosmos, April/May 2008.
Norris, R.P., 2008d, "Emu Dreaming", Australasian Science, Vol 29, No. 4 (May 2008).
Norris, R.P., 2008e, "Australian Aboriginal Astronomy" in “Heavens Above" Proceedings of Fifth World Archaeological Congress, ed. Ruggles & Campbell, in press.
Norris, R.P., & Norris, P.M., 2009, "Emu Dreaming: An Introduction to Australian Aboriginal Astronomy", privately published.
Norris, R.P. & Hamacher, D.W., 2009,"The Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture", Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 260, D. Valls-Gabaud & A. Boksenberg, eds. also in arXiv:0906.0155v1
O'Brien, M.L. (1990). The legend of the seven sisters. Canberra: Aboriginal
Companion to Aboriginal Art & Culture, 2000, ed. Kleinert &
Useful and voluminous reference if you are lucky enough to find what
you are looking for, but otherwise an infuriating book with no proper
index or contents pages to the reference section. Especially good for
understanding links between the various periods of aboriginal art
K. Langloh, 1897, Australian Legendary Tales, A turn of the century
collection of folklore of the Euahlayi (Noongahburrah) from NW NSW.
K. Langloh, 1905, The Euahlayi Tribe,an amateur ethnography of the Eulayhi.
This book includes more depth on the culture, spiritual beliefs and
ceremonies of the Euahlayi.
Patston, G.E.,1997a, Dreamtime Stories for bedtime reading,
Patston, G.E.,1997b, Aboriginal Astronomy Discovery centre,
privately published, ISBN 0 646 33655 X Guide book to Gordon Patstons
Aboriginal Astronomy Discovery centre at Dover, Tasmania.
Appears to pull together elements of many different aborigional cultures
and present it as a united whole.
Patston, G.E.,1997c, Planetarium Presentation, privately
Suggested script for a planetarium show on aboriginal astronomy
C.W., 1925, Australian legends.
Phillip, A. 1789, The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay, Stockdale,
Adele, 2002, Astronomy and Australain indigenous people
Excellent review, written for teachers, of contemporary evidence and
anecdotes of Aboriginal astronomy. Contains many quotes and material
not found in the standard texts. Useful source.
A., 2006a, The Sun and the Moon - some Aboriginal perspectives Well-researched
A., 2006b, The Planets - some Aboriginal perspectives Well-researched
W. (1873a). "Report on Australian Languages and Traditions."
The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain
and Ireland 2: 257 - 275.
& Mountford, The Dawn of Time
The first of a set of four small hardback books on aboriginal myths.
Roberts & Mountford, The DreamTime
The second of a set of four small hardback books on aboriginal myths.
Roberts & Mountford, The First Sunrise
The third of a set of four small hardback books on aboriginal myths.
Roberts & Roberts, Dreamtime Heritage
The fourth of a set of four small hardback books on aboriginal myths.
Robinson, Roland Aboriginal Myths & legends
Robinson, Roland, & Douglass Baglin The Australian aborigine
Roughsey, Dick Moon & rainbow
Rowley. CD Remote Aboriginals
Sharp, N. (1993). Stars of Tagai : the Torres Strait Islanders. Canberra,
Aboriginal Studies Press.
M., 1978, Tiwi Cosmology. In Hiatt (ed),Australian
Aborigianl Concepts, AIATSIS
Smith, J. 1990, In Search of the Gundungurra, Three Sisters Productions,
R. B. (1878). The aborigines of Victoria: with notes relating to the
habits of the natives of other parts of Australia and Tasmania. Melbourne,
J. Ferres gov't printer [etc.].
B. S. and F. J. Gillen (1966). The Arunta. A Study of a Stone Age People.
Oosterhout, Netherlands, Anthropological Publications.
Sir Baldwin Across Australia
A popular account of his classic books.
Spencer, Sir Baldwin The native tribes of central Australia
One of his two Classic works.
Sir Baldwin, 1914, "The native tribes of northern Australia".
The other one.This massive ethnography is one of the few books in the
public domain which details pre-20th Century Aboriginal culture and
traditions in a non-ethnocentric perspective.
Spencer, Sir Baldwin The Arunta: a Study of Stone Age People. His work
on the Arunta tribe in Central Australia earned him international acclaim
as an explorer, frontiersman, and scientist. He was appointed the Chief
Protector of Aborigines in the newly-acquired Northern Territory. The
first Protector who was not an army official or colonial bureaucrat
Stanbridge, W.E., 1857, On
the astronomy and mythology of the Aborigines of Victoria, Proc
of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria, Transactions 2, 137-140..
Important early work about aboriginal astronomy. Describes the constellations
and a little orf the mythology of the Boorong people from around Lake
Stanbridge, W.E., 1861, Some
particulars of the general characteristics, astronomy, amd mythology,
of the tribes in the central part of Victoria, Southern Australia.,
Trans. Ethnological Soc. Of London, Vol I, 286-303. A lovely (if dated
in attitude) description of the lifestyle of the people.
Stanbridge, W.E., 1876. A listing of the translations between Dja Dja
Wurrung and European constellation names, with a short description of
the mythological creatures associated with them.
Stanbury & Clegg, 1990, A field guide to aboriginal rock engravings
Comprehensive account of the Sydney rock engravings.
Stanbury, P. & Myers, P. 1983, Aboriginal Rock Engraving Interpretation
Centre, Macleay Museum, Sydney.
C. (1907). Die Aranda und Loritja-Stamme in Zentral Australien. Frankfurt.
T.G.H., Central Australian Religion
Stubbs, Dacre Prehistoric Aboriginal Art of Australia. A magnificent
pictorial presentation and introduction to the rich art and cultural
heritage of the Australian Aboriginal.
Peter (ed) Dreamings the Art of Aboriginal Australia. ISBN 0
670 82449 6. Publ Viking, in association with the Asia Society Galleries,
New York (1988). Explains some of the symbolism and meaningn behind
the painting. Includes a section on Yolngu painting, with extensive
quotes by Morphy
Swain, T. (1993). A Place for Strangers. Towards a history of Australian
Aboriginal Being. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. A rather idiosyncratic
book. He maintains that most of what we know about aboriginal culture
is actually about post-contact culture, and we have essentially no information
on pre-contact Aboriginal culture
Tacon, P., 2000, Rock Art, in The Oxford Companion
to Aboriginal Art and Culture, ed. Kleinert & Neale, OUP.
Brief overview of Australian rock, art, which is useful in summarising
the styles in different regions
Taylor, H.R., 1981, Racial Variations in Vision, American
Journal of Epidemiology, 113, 62. Presents evidence that Aboriginal
vision is sharper than European vision. Included here because people
refer to it for evidence that Aborioginal people could see fainter stars.
1943, Some Myths & Legends of the Australian Aborigines,
Starts: When the white man first carried the burden and blessing
of civilisation to the shores of Australia, he found the land inhabited
by a very primitive race of people. And so it goes. Sigh... An offensive book in its attitudes, but contains useful material if
you can get past that.
Tindale, N. (1974). Aboriginal Tribes of Australia. Their Terrain, Environmental
Controls, Distribution, Limits and Proper Names. Berkeley, University
of California Press. The classic. First attempt to delineate the various
language groups, and still the basis of modern maps showing boundaries
Tindale, Norman B., Tindale, C.R., Tyler, M.J., & Davies, M., 1986,
Ideas and Endeavours: The Natural Sciences in South Australia, Adelaide
N. (2005 In press). Celestial Lore of Some Australian Tribes. Songs
from the Sky. Indigenous Astronomical and Cosmological Traditions of
the World. V. D. Chamberlain, J. B. Carlson and M. J. Young. Oxford,
Ocarina Books: 358-379. Some very interesting insights, but suffers
from many of the problems (generalisations, inductive leaps, prejudice)
of literature from his generation. Note that this paper (same title,
presumably the same paper) is refernced by Clarke (1997) as being presented
at the first ethnoastronomy conference in Washington in 1983. Includes
a brief description of the Yolngu morning star ceremony.
Victorian Archaeological Survey, 1986, Carisbrook Stone Circles,
leaflet. Description of Carisbrook and other nearby wells etc.
W.L., A black civilization: a social study of an Australian tribe,1937,
Harper, New York Extensive study of Yolngu people from around Yirrkala
Watson, Helen and David Wade Chambers (with the Yolngu community at
Yirrkala). Singing the Land, Signing the Land. Account of the language
and maths of Yolngu people, and the conceptual differences between Yolngu
thought and western thought
Wells, Anne. "Skies of Arnhem land." Aboriginal sky stories
in Arnhem Land. Simple stories with nuggets of astronomy, retold for
Wells, Anne, Stars in the Sky Aboriginal sky folklore in
Arnhem Land. More detailed stories than Skies of Arhmen Land,
and without the commentary stories.
Willey, Keith, 1979, When the Sky fell Down, Collins
Account of the destruction of the tribes of the Sydney Region. Well-researched,
except its nearly all through the eyes of the whites, and tells
you almost nothing of the culture of the aborigional people.
Willmott, E., 1987, Pemulwuy the rainbow warrior,
Well-researched novel describing Pemulwuy and the Eora & Bidgigal
people. Good background info.
J.G., 1901, The Customs and Traditions of the Aboriginal Natives of
North Western Australia. A short amateur ethnography, which is mostly
of historical interest
(Emma Wilson), 1996, "Astronomy and Other Seasons", published
Tunapee Puggaluggalia Publishers. A description of Tasmanian Aboriginal
Non-specialised Books and Articles recomended for the general reader.
|Norris, R.P., & Norris, P.M., 2009, "Emu Dreaming: An Introduction to Australian Aboriginal Astronomy".
||30-page booklet giving an introduction to what we know about Aboriginal Astronomy, and the current state of research into this area. Recommended for the non-specialist.
|Norris, R.P., 2008b, "Star Dreaming in Arnhem Land", Cosmos, April/May 2008.
||Travelogue focussing on Aboriginal Astronomy in Arnhem Land.
|Norris, R.P., 2008a, "In search of Aboriginal Astronomy" in Australian Sky & Telescope, March/April issue, 2008.
||This short article gives an up-to-date summary of much that has been found since the older references below.
|Norris, R.P., 2008c,
"Emu Dreaming", in Australasian Science, Vol 29, No. 4 (May 2008)
|Popular article focussing on the Aboriginal Astronomy of the Sydney Rock Engravings and the motivation for this project.
|Norris, R.P., 2007, "Searching for the Astronomy of Aboriginal Australians" in Astronomy & Cosmology in Folk Traditions and Cultural Heritage, ed. Jonas Vaiskunas
||A specialist conference proceedings that goes into a little more detail than the popular articles above, with references.
|Haynes, R.F., Haynes, R.D., Malin, D., McGee, R.X., 1996, “Explorers of the Southern Sky”, CUP. (reproduced here by kind permission of Ros Haynes)
||As a broad introduction to Aboriginal astronomy, I would recommend the chapter on Aboriginal Astronomy in Explorers of the Southern Sky
|Cairns, H., & Yidumduma Harney, B., “Dark Sparklers”, 2003. Privately published by Hugh Cairns. Also second edition publ. 2004. See http://www.darksparklers.com/ for details.
||Detailed exploration of the astronomical lore of the Wardaman people. Probably the most detailed study we have of any Aboriginal astronomical culture, primarily concentrating on the symbolism and cosmology. Written in a provocative style, with fantastic illustrations by Sam Wortelhock.
|Johnson, D. (1998). “Night skies of Aboriginal Australia : a Noctuary”. Sydney, N.S.W., University of Sydney.
||A scholarly but fascinating account of the way that the sky is represented in Aboriginal art and story.
|"Nomads of the Australian Desert", by Charles Mountford.
||A dated but riveting account is given in this classic work. This book is hard to find because it was at one point banned from sale, but is still available in some major libraries, and occasionally on eBay.
|Isaacs, J. (1980). Australian Dreaming : 40,000 years of aboriginal history. Sydney, Lansdowne Press.
||I'd recommend this if you want to read more generally about Aboriginal cultures. It's a popular (but impressive) coffee-table book about indigenous cultures, and includes a chapter on astronomy. It's rather dated now, but still full of valuable material. It can be found remaindered in many bookshops or on eBay.
|Lonely Planet Guide to Aboriginal Australia & the Torres Strait Islands.
||I'd recommend this if you're really short of time and want a quick potted account of the history, controversies, and current issues facing Indigenous Australians.
||OK, I know this isn't a book, but there's so much good stuff there! Try "Indigenous Australians",
"Australian Aboriginal Culture", and
"Australian Aboriginal Astronomy".