A groundbreaking study at a rock shelter in South Australia has uncovered a man-made floor composed of compacted red ochre and charcoal, dating back 15,000 years. This site is interpreted as a prehistoric gathering ground for *regional corroborees*—large-scale social and ritual festivals that allowed disparate groups to share stories, trade resources, and perform songlines. The thickness of the ochre layer suggests the site was used continuously for thousands of generations.
Microscopic analysis of the floor revealed traces of native seeds and kangaroo bone fragments, consistent with ancient feasting practices. This discovery provides scientific weight to the oral histories of Indigenous Australians regarding the antiquity of their Dreaming festivals. It demonstrates that the cultural heritage of communal celebration is one of the longest-running human traditions on the continent, used to maintain social cohesion through the last Ice Age.