Chapter 1
The architecture of deep time
Chapter 2
Songlines and the map of the stars
Chapter 3
Fire, water, and ancient engineering
Chapter 4
Art on the rocks and in the sand
Ch 3 · Fire, water, and ancient engineering
BETA
matilda Connect spark and flow paths to discover how the oldest living culture reads the land.
matilda Volcanic basalt channels, weirs, and ponds managed water levels to harvest short-finned eels, showcasing sophisticated, permanent Indigenous infrastructure.
matilda Indigenous fire management uses cool burns to stimulate seeds and protect animal habitats.
Fun Fact
Desert water: Aboriginal people survived in arid deserts by mapping "water trees," which store drinkable water in their hollow trunks or roots.
Quiz
What shape are the dry-stone walls of the Brewarrina fish traps designed in to withstand river currents?
Quiz
What did ancient Indigenous Australians do with grass seeds over 30,000 years ago that makes them the world's first bakers?