Indigenous Australians dug underground water reservoirs that helped them live on one of the world's driest continents for tens of thousands of years, new research by hydrogeologist Brad Moggridge shows, according to ABC News. The study indicates Aboriginal people had extensive knowledge of the groundwater system. European settlers owed their subsequent knowledge of groundwater to the indigenous Australians, and even much of Australia's modern road system is based on water sources identified by the original inhabitants.
Moggridge based his work on oral histories, Dreamtime stories, rock art, artefacts and ceremonial body painting as well as written accounts by white missionaries, surveyors, settlers, anthropologists and explorers.
>> read the whole story at ABC: Aboriginal people built water tunnels
In the article, there's an interestring link to the research network Desert Knowledge that is "linking Indigenous and local knowledge with science and education to improve desert livelihoods". (Link updated 3.9.2022)
SEE ALSO:
"Aboriginal knowledge is science"
Approaches to Indigenous Knowledge - conference papers in fulltext
Interesting how the original cultures contribute to the later successors