Could These 4,000-Year-Old Aboriginal Cave Paintings in Australia Really Depict Aliens?

Aboriginal rock art depicting otherworldly beings on the Barnett River, Mount Elizabeth Station, Australia. Photo: Robyn Jay
The Wandjina rock art paintings date back to around 4,000 years ago, and were created following a millennium-long drought that ended with the arrival of a wetter climate characterized by regular monsoons. The paintings are found on rocks and caves throughout the Kimberley region, and they are still considered sacred by the Worrorra, Ngarinyin, and Wunumbul people, who are the custodians of the art and the land. The paintings are periodically refreshed by the Aboriginal people as a way of regenerating the life force of the Wandjinas.

The paintings have a distinctive style and features. They usually show large upper bodies and heads with big black eyes and what looks like a halo or a helmet around them. They have no mouths, which is explained by two reasons: one is that they are so powerful that they do not need speech; the other is that if they had mouths, the rain would never stop. The paintings also show figures and objects related to the Wandjinas, such as the Rainbow Serpent, yams, boomerangs, and stone axes.