Petroglyphs are common on rock piles and boulder slopes

Petroglyphs are very common on the rock outcrops and distinctive rock piles and boulder slopes of the Dampier landscape. They are found in a bewildering variety of locations. They can be isolated motifs on inconspicuous individual boulders or low rock outcrops, or galleries of thousands of motifs on ridges or valley slopes of massive boulders. They can occur alone or as part of extensive complexes with other evidence of cultural activity. Petroglyphs are more common in some areas than others, but there is no area in the Archipelago, where they can be confidently pronounced to be absent. Petroglyphs can occur wherever suitable rock surfaces or boulders are found. Most individual motifs are relatively small–less than 30cm in size–and some are no more than a few centimetres. Few images are larger than 60cm although occasional ones are more than 150cm.

Several different techniques were used to make the petroglyphs and different types of tools must have been used. Pecking is generally the most common technique and both coarse and fine-grained tools were used. Sometimes the image was outlined with peck marks; sometimes the whole shape was filled in. Scored images were made by dragging a sharp point across the rock surface. Again, sometimes only the outline of the image was scored, while in other cases the image was filled in with parallel or cross-hatched lines. Abraded images were made by rubbing the rock to form a polished surface, either making a grooved outline or a complete shape. Sometimes, but not always, the image was pecked first and then abraded. Pounded images were produced by superficially bruising the rock surface. These images are very shallow and can be easy to overlook. Composite images were also produced using a combination of techniques.

The Dampier rock art is diverse in its subject matter. Subjects include geometric designs, tracks of humans, animals and birds, and naturalistic or figurative representations, including humans, and a wide range of animals and birds—both terrestrial and marine. These include some depictions of thylacines, or Tasmanian tigers, which have been extinct on mainland Australia for about 3000 years. There are also figures with both human and animal features which may represent mythological characters. Animals and humans are shown both as images and as tracks. Human figures are sometimes shown carrying objects such as boomerangs or wearing head dresses. Local Aboriginal Elders have identified some figures as having ceremonial significance and stated that they should not be viewed by uninitiated people.

As well as individual motifs, there are panels which show scenes or composite images. Some of these have been clearly added to over a long time period. The most famous is the so-called ‘Climbing Men’ panel. Other types of scenes show daily activities such as hunting. Tracks can sometimes be followed as trails over a considerable distance and some lead to large images of humans or kangaroos. These may well represent the routes of ancestral beings.

The Dampier rock art is also diverse in terms of style. A number of distinct styles have been noted. Some representations of animals and birds for example can be identified as particular species, while others show the subject in a highly stylised way. There are several different styles of human figures, including various types of stick figures and outlined figures. One distinctive style shows the head as a detached blob. Another style shows human figures with exaggerated hands and feet. Some of these variations are likely to reflect the long time period over which the petroglyphs were produced. Detailed analysis of the relationship between motifs, techniques of production and weathering can show this. For example, human figures with exaggerated hands and feet seem always to be relatively fresh in appearance. This therefore seems to be a relatively recent style. By contrast, the ‘archaic faces’ with their large owl-like eyes, and complex geometric maze-like designs, are normally weathered and have little or no colour contrast. Both these types of motifs are thought to be among the oldest art in the Archipelago.

Other stylistic differences may reflect regional variation and suggest that the Dampier Archipelago may have been an important meeting place for groups from different parts of the Pilbara. The Pilbara is itself a very important rock art province with several distinct regional styles. These are all represented in the Dampier Archipelago, which in turn has its own distinctive elements.