The most distinctive feature of the geometrical art of Australia is the regional occurrence of concentric figures, either formed on a single continuous line, or consisting of separate figures increasing in size from the centre outwards, combined with flutings in various patterns. The concentric diamond and circle elements are the most widely distributed motifs, and would appear to be the oldest. To my knowledge no meaning for the concentric diamond has been recorded, although it was probably connected with totemic and spiritual ancestors or culture heroes, and varied in the different localities in which it occurs. Whilst its origin is obscure, available evidence now indicates that it came from New Guinea into Gape York and thence spread southward as part of a Hero-cult ritual embodied in the initiation ceremonies of eastern Australia. The presence of this concentric diamond motif in Western Australia indicates that this introduction is an ancient one.
The origin of the concentric circle designs in Australia is also unknown, but it is considered probable that they belong to the widespread diffusion of Bronze Age designs in Indonesia, Melanesia and Polynesia about two thousand years ago which found its way into north-western Australia along the Kimberley coast and spread south-eastward into Central Australia. The widespread distribution of the concentric line motifs, such as the circle, diamond, square, and triangle, illustrates their basic importance in Australian decorative art, and the occurrence of the concentric diamond in both eastern and Western Australian art indicates a probable relationship in their origin.
The employment of snakes and snake-like figures in art designs throughout Australia is perhaps due to the universal distribution of the rainbow-serpent belief; Professor Elkin has recorded that the association of snakes with the powers of medicine-men, their symbolic use as a sign of taboo, and their function as a totem, are associated with the snake motifs in aboriginal art. Thus the zigzag motifs of Western Australia, western Queensland, and the Murray River are stylized snakes.
Both naturalistic and geometric forms of art occur in rock carvings and paintings, on weapons and sacred objects, and as personal adornment on the bodies of performers in ceremonies. In some instances extreme stylization of naturalistic motifs has resulted in almost geometrical figures, perhaps as a result of the desire to conceal the ritual significance of the design from the uninitiated. One cannot say, however, that the geometric art as a whole evolved from the naturalistic; the predominant geometric elements cannot be explained in this way. The evidence indicates that the two forms of art have had distinct origins; both are integral parts of totemism. It seems probable that the origin of naturalistic art in Australia is associated with the portrayal of totemic animals for magical religious purposes as an aid to ensuring an ample food supply. The geometric art is more closely allied to the culture-hero or spirit-ancestor cults and it appears to be of later origin in Australia than the naturalistic art.
The Karadjeri angled-design is probably related to similar motifs used widely in the cloths woven by the Indonesians of Sunda and other islands to the north. Moreover, it is certain that the modern Arnhem Land art, with its brightly colored designs and sculpturing, is strongly influenced by Indonesian and possibly New Guinea art, just as Cape York has been by Torres Strait and Papuan art ; numerous other traits form part of these powerful cultural influences. An interesting point that has not yet been explained is why most of the art of north Queensland, Northern Territory and Arnhem Land is painted only, without any low relief carving, as a contrast with the general use of incising, fluting and carving allied with painting employed elsewhere in Australia.
The factors contributing to the existence of distinct art areas in Australia are somewhat varied. Divergence from a common type of art, local conservatism, infusions of new elements from neighboring territories, the methods and materials employed, inspiration and function, all have an important bearing on this question. One or all may be responsible for a particular type of art or for certain elements, but all contribute to the development and composition of regional art groups.
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