Piles Creek Anthropomorph

Summary: An Aboriginal rock art site near a tributary of Piles Creek in Kariong, which has a long anthropomorphic figure and over 60 grinding grooves.

  • Site type: Axe Grinding Groove (AGG), Cave Painting, Rock engraving
  • Number of sites: 2
  • Number of motifs: 6
  • Number of AGGs: 61
  • Motif/s: Anthropomorph, Hand
  • Quality: 3/5
  • Condition of site: Graffiti damage
  • Year first recorded: 1976
  • Originally Recorded by: Ian Sim
  • Campbell Reference: Sim Collection Site 2/7 in Aboriginal Carving of Port Jackon and Broken Bay (Download)
  • Sim Reference: Sim Collection Site 3/1
  • Ian Sim, Archaelogical Sites in the Sydney Region – A Record of Field Surveys 1958-1973 (“Sim Collection”), Site 3/1 (Kariong) p.18

Above a tributary of Piles Creek is an unusual Aboriginal engraving of an anthropomorph; the figure has a very long, narrow body (six metres in length) and a pointed head-dress.

1X3A7191 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7158 Piles Creek Anthropomorph

Bob Pankhurst also documented this site; his photo captures most of the elongated figure.

image 1 Piles Creek Anthropomorph

Ten metres north of the anthropomorph on the same rock platform is a large number of grinding grooves (61 to be precise).

1X3A7137 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7141 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7143 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7147 Piles Creek Anthropomorph

Below the rock platform is a shelter with Aboriginal art (which was associated to the rock engraving site by Sim). It has been extensively damaged by graffiti and only a few remnants of charcoal drawings and partial hand stencils are still visible.

1X3A7196 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7196 yye Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7201 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7201 lbk Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7205 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7205 lds Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7213 Piles Creek Anthropomorph
1X3A7213 lbk Piles Creek Anthropomorph
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