Dog Trap Road Daramulan

Summary: An Aboriginal engraving site near Dog Trap Road which features a prominent Daramulan figure and a smaller deity.

  • Site type: Axe Grinding Groove (AGG), Rock engraving
  • Number of motifs: 6
  • Number of AGGs: 2
  • Motif/s: Daramulan, Deity, Kangaroo, Koala
  • Quality: 3/5
  • Condition of site: Good
  • View site sketch – Daramulan
  • Year first recorded: 1960
  • Originally Recorded by: Ian Sim
  • Sim Reference: Sim Collection 2/62
  • Ian Sim, Archaelogical Sites in the Sydney Region – A Record of Field Surveys 1958-1973 (“Sim Collection”), Site 2/62 (Somersby), p.15
  • J.C. Lough, Freeway No. 3 Sydney to Newcastle Freeway: Report on Photographic Recording of Aboriginal Relic Sites at Kariong, Site 256

This significant Aboriginal engraving site near Dog Trap Road was first recorded by Ian Sim in the 1960s, and then by John Lough in 1980 in a report on “Aboriginal relic sites” for the Sydney to Newcastle () freeway construction. The largest figure is a Daramulan, described by John Lough as a “koala deity figure with headdress and body decoration”.

IMG 5748 LR enhanced Dog Trap Road Daramulan
IMG 5748 LR Dog Trap Road Daramulan
IMG 5754 LR Dog Trap Road Daramulan

This Daramulan figure is very similar to the America Bay Daramulan engraving at West Head. Next to this figure is a smaller deity figure, described by Sim as an “animal with headdress” and by Lough simply as a “koala”.

IMG 5760 LR Dog Trap Road Daramulan

There may be a couple of shallow grinding grooves – these were not noted by Sim or Lough.

IMG 5752 LR Dog Trap Road Daramulan

Both Sim and Lough documented four additional figures: two kangaroos, a curved line or an oval and another line or indeterminate figure – these could not be re-located. This site is likely to form part of an important site complex with a connection to the Dog Trap Gully Engraving Site, which also includes a Daramulan figure.

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