Talgai

Pleistocence archaeology site in Queensland, Australia

Talgai is an archaeological site, near Allora on the Darling Downs, south east of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.[1] In 1884 a Pleistocene era skull was found in Dalrymple Creek after a big flood.[2] It was found by William Naish, a shearer, who was building a fence at the East Talgai station.[3] The skull was that of a 14 year old boy who had lived about 11,000 years ago.[1] Naish gave the skull to the owners of the station. It was purchased by the University of Sydney in 1914.[2] It was the first fossil found which showed the early human occupation of Australia.[1][2]

East Talgai Station, 1897

The skull was heavily encrusted with calcium carbonate and the shape had been distorted during long time buried in the ground.[2] At first scientists thought it was a primitive skull with ape like teeth.[4] Later study showed that the skull was a modern Homo sapien, the teeth were normal, but heavily worn.[1] The boy had a massive injury to the side of his skull which was probably what had killed him.[2]

In 1968 a Tom Haydon made a documentary movie, The Talgai Skull: An Investigation Into the Origin of the Australian Aborigines.[5] It won the Australian Film Institute award for Best Documentary.[6]

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Talgai". www-personal.une.edu.au. 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Monroe, M. H. (2011). "Talgai Skull". Australia: The Land Where Time Began. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  3. Allen, Jim (2010). "The Curious History of the Talgai Skull". Bulletin of the History of Archaeology. Retrieved 13 April 2013.[permanent dead link]
  4. "Talgai Skull". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). NSW: National Library of Australia. 19 June 1915. p. 14. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  5. "The Talgai Skull". Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF). 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.[permanent dead link]
  6. "AFI AWARD WINNERS - Non-Feature Award Winners 1958-2010" (PDF). pdf.js. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2013.