Below is an easy-to-browse
gallery of books that cater to those who are interested in visiting Australia
or learning more about its ancient past. The majority of descriptions below are
by independent editors. Feel free to purchase these books directly from Amazon.com!
Uluru:
Kata Tjuta and Watarrka National Parks (National Parks Field Guides) :
Uluru Kata Tjuta & Watarrka reflects its overseas origins and while the specific
focus on Australian points of interest may not appeal to all, it will prove essential
for any in-depth travel collection focussing on Australia. Numerous maps and plenty
of color photos capture wildlife and scenic attractions alike. -- Midwest Book
Review.
Lost World of the Kimberley: Extraordinary New Glimpses of Australia's
Ice Age Ancestors :
This provocative anthropological study offers insights into the thousands of paintings
found in small, raised caves on cliff faces in the remote and rugged Kimberley
Ranges of Northwest Australia. With lithe, graceful, human figures depicted in
a fashion altogether different from that of even the oldest traditional art, these
rock paintings have astounded experts since their discovery in 1891.
This
discussion offers intriguing speculation into who the people who created these
paintings could be and explains how new dating techniques helped to clear up many
unanswered questions. Encapsulating the mystery that still remains about these
paintings, this fascinating book will capture the attention of anyone interested
in art, art history, or archeology.
Rock Art of the Dreamtime: Images of Ancient Australia :
This study takes readers on a journey through prehistory, from enigmatic finger
markings and handstencils, found in the limestone caverns to life-size paintings
of Ancestral Beings in the tropical north. It gives an overview of recent research,
dating techniques and discoveries.
Landscapes Rock Art and the Dreaming: An Archaeology of Preunderstanding
(New Approaches to Anthropological Archaeology) :
The apparent timelessness of the Dreaming of Aboriginal Australia has long mystified
European observers, conjuring images of an ancient people in harmony with their
surroundings. In this book, Bruno David examines the archaeological evidence for
Dreaming-mediated places, rituals and symbolism. What emerges is not a static
culture, but a mode of conceiving the world that emerged in its recognisable form
only about 1000 years ago...
The known and experienced world is a place
of culture; not a place that is, but one that has become, through meaningful engagement.
The world is given presence - given pre-sense - through the historicity of one's
own being. It is the archaeology of this condition that forms the major theme
of this book. By tracing through time the archaeological visibility of one well-known
mode of preunderstanding - the Dreaming of Aboriginal Australia - the author argues
that it is possible to scientifically explore an archaeology of preunderstanding;
of body and mind, identity and Being-in-the-world.
Visions from the Past: The Archaeology of Australian Aboriginal
Art :
"An
excellent introduction, comprehensive, superbly illustrated and emphasising the
chronological depth and regional variation of this artistic heritage. An authoritative,
clearly documented case for treating Australia as the rock art capital of the
world." John Mulvaney. "A definitive text, insightful, informative,
always interesting." Claire Smith, Flinders University, Adelaide.
Australian Dreaming: 40,000 years of Aboriginal History :
Australian Dreaming is the first Aboriginal history of the Australian continent
and its people, as told by Aboriginal storytellers. It recounts epic travels of
the Great Spirit Ancestors and tells how they created the animals and plants and
gave birth to the earliest people of this land.
Uluru Kata Tjuta & Watarrka reflects its overseas origins and while the specific
focus on Australian points of interest may not appeal to all, it will prove essential
for any in-depth travel collection focussing on Australia. Numerous maps and plenty
of color photos capture wildlife and scenic attractions alike. -- Midwest Book
Review.
This provocative anthropological study offers insights into the thousands of paintings
found in small, raised caves on cliff faces in the remote and rugged Kimberley
Ranges of Northwest Australia. With lithe, graceful, human figures depicted in
a fashion altogether different from that of even the oldest traditional art, these
rock paintings have astounded experts since their discovery in 1891. 
This study takes readers on a journey through prehistory, from enigmatic finger
markings and handstencils, found in the limestone caverns to life-size paintings
of Ancestral Beings in the tropical north. It gives an overview of recent research,
dating techniques and discoveries.
The apparent timelessness of the Dreaming of Aboriginal Australia has long mystified
European observers, conjuring images of an ancient people in harmony with their
surroundings. In this book, Bruno David examines the archaeological evidence for
Dreaming-mediated places, rituals and symbolism. What emerges is not a static
culture, but a mode of conceiving the world that emerged in its recognisable form
only about 1000 years ago...
"An
excellent introduction, comprehensive, superbly illustrated and emphasising the
chronological depth and regional variation of this artistic heritage. An authoritative,
clearly documented case for treating Australia as the rock art capital of the
world." John Mulvaney. "A definitive text, insightful, informative,
always interesting." Claire Smith, Flinders University, Adelaide. 
Australian Dreaming is the first Aboriginal history of the Australian continent
and its people, as told by Aboriginal storytellers. It recounts epic travels of
the Great Spirit Ancestors and tells how they created the animals and plants and
gave birth to the earliest people of this land. 
