{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.030837004405286344, 'fraction_numerical': 0.03524229074889868, 'mean_word_length': 4.683333333333334, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Port Augusta hearth site dated to 40,000 years

An Aboriginal hearth near Port Augusta has been dated to ca 40,000 years old, making it the oldest known site in South Australia (SA). It is also one of only two sites in southern Australia and one of only seven locations in Australia to demonstrate such antiquity (cf. David et al. 2011; O'Connor and Veth 2006). Since first observing the hearth in 2010, it has been entirely eroded by natural processes. This paper describes the find and confirms the urgent need for (1) systematic archaeological and palaeoecological research on the Quaternary dunes in this region, and (2) conservation and protection of these fragile open sites.