Madjedbebe | |
Alternative name | Malakunanja II |
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Location | Arnhem Land |
Region | Northern Territory |
Coordinates | 12°30′S 132°53′E / 12.500°S 132.883°E |
Type | Rock shelter site |
History | |
Periods | Pleistocene |
Cultures | Aboriginal Australians |
Site notes | |
Excavation dates | 1973, 1989, 2012, 2015 |
Archaeologists | Chris Clarkson Johan Kamminga, Rhys Jones, Mike Smith |
Management | Mirrar traditional owners of lands |
Public access | No |
Madjedbebe (formerly known as Malakunanja II) is a sandstone rock shelter in Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia, possibly the oldest site of human habitation in Australia. It is located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from the coast. It is part of the lands traditionally inhabited by the Mirarr, an Aboriginal Australian clan of the Gaagudju people, of the Gunwinyguan language group.[1] Although it is surrounded by the World Heritage Listed Kakadu National Park, Madjedbebe itself is located within the Jabiluka Mineral Leasehold.