Aboriginal Symbols GlossaryMany of the symbols used by Aboriginal artists are a variation of lines or dots. Similar symbols can have multiple meanings according to the art region and the elaborate combination of these can tell complex Dreamtime stories. View our Aboriginal Symbol & Iconography Gallery.
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Aboriginal Symbols and their MeaningsMany of the symbols used by Aboriginal artists are a variation of lines or dots. Similar symbols can have multiple meanings according to the art region and the elaborate combination of these can tell complex Dreamtime stories. View article |
Animal TracksThis symbol represents the tracks of a dingo, which is an Australian native dog. View article |
Ants, Fruits, Flowers or EggsThese circles have multiple interpretations: ants (honey ants), fruits, flowers or eggs. These are gathered by Australian Aboriginal women as a food source or used as a bush medicine. View article |
BoomerangThe boomerang is used by Australian Aboriginal men as hunting or fighting weapons, for digging, as cutting knives for making fire by friction and as percussion instrument in ceremonies. View article |
Hunting BoomerangThe hunting boomerang is hand crafted by the Australian Aboriginal men into the shape of the number seven (7). The longer part of the boomerang is used as a handle and the shorter wing is extremly shapr. It is used by the men for hunting larger animals, such as Kangaroo, Emu). In ceremonies they are used as clapping sticks. View article |
Bush BerryThere are many species of Bush berries, gathered by Australian Aboriginal women in Central Australia. Bush berries are a staple food souce for Aboriginal people. View article |
Campsite or WaterholeRoundels depicted in Aboriginal artworks can be camp site or water hole. These sites are culturally significant to Australian Aboriginal people living in Central Australia. View article |
CampsiteConcentric circles in Aboriginal artwroks can represent a camp site, meeting place or ceremonial site. These sites are culturally significant to Australian Aboriginal people living in Central Australia. View article |
CoolamonA Coolamon is a hand crafted wooden dish, which is used by Australian Aboriginal women when gathering bush tucker , transportating water or carrying babies. View article |
Digging or Clapping SticksDigging sticks are hand crafted wooden implements, sharpened at one end, which the Australian Aboriginaal women used to dig for edible bush tucker, like roots, tubers, honey ants, reptiles. In womens ceremonies they are used as clapping sticks. View article |
EmuThis symbol depicted in Aboriginal artworks represents Emu tracks. The Australian Aboriginal men follow the tracks to hunt the Emu (large flight-less bird), which is a staple food and is used for bush medicine. In men's ceremonies the Emu feathers are used for body decoration. View article |
Emu 2This symbols depicted in Aboriginal artworks represents emu tracks. The Australian Aboriginal men follow these tracks to hunt the emu (large flight-less bird), which is a staple food source and is used for bush medicine. In men's ceremonies the emu feathers are used for body decoration. The sinews are used in hand crafting of tools and weapons. View article |
GoannaThis symbol or icon represents the tracks of the goanna. Australian Aboriginal people hunt the goanna by following its tracks in the sand. The goanna and its eggs are a principal food source. There are many other ways this symbol is represented, depending on the artists region. View article |
Hole or Cloud or NestThese symbols rockhole, cloud or nest are depicted in Australian Aboriginal artwork. They can have multiple meanings depending on the artist's Dreaming. View article |
Honey AntHoney ants are depicted in many Australian Aboriginal artworks from Central Australia. The Aboriginal women used digging sticks to dig deep into the sand and search for honey ants. The honey ants produce a honey like liquid in their abdomen, which is regarded as a special treat by Aboriginal people. View article |
Honey Ant SiteThis symbol depicts the tracks or journey path to the honey ants sites. At these sites the Australian Aboriginal women used digging sticks to dig out the honey ant nests from the sand. The honey ants produce a honey like liquid in their abdomen, which is regarded by Aboriginal people as a special treat. View article |
Kangaroo TrackThis symbol depicted represents in Australian Aboriginal artworks kangaroo tracks. The Aboriginal men hunt the kangaroo by following its tracks in the sand. View article |
Moving Kangaroo TracksThis symbol or icon represents the tracks of a moving kangaroo in Australian Aboriginal artworks. The line in the centre depicts the track of its tail, as it moves along in the sand. View article |
ManThis symbol depicted represents a man with spear in Australian Aboriginal artworks. The spear is a handcrafted weapon the Aboriginal men used for hunting larger prey. This symbol depicted next to a U shaped icon , determines if it is a man or woman. View article |
Man 2This icon depicted represents a man with spear and woomera (spear thrower). These are handcrafted wooden weapons the Australian Aboriginal men used for hunting larger prey. This symbol depicted next to a U shpaed motif , determines if it is a man or woman. View article |
Meeting PlaceThis symbol depicted in Australian Aboriginal artworks represents meeting place (concentric circle) and journey path (lines). A meeting place is cuturally a significant site for Aboriginal men and women. It is a place where they meet, gather around, sitting in a circle. View article |
People SittingThis symbol depicted represents Aboriginal poeple sitting around campsite or waterhole in Australian Aboriginal paintings. Each U shpaed icon represent a person. View article |
PersonThis symbol is often depicted in Australian Aboriginal paintings. The U shaped icon represents a person depending what is next to this symbol, determines if it is a man or women. View article |
PossumThis symbol represents the foot print of the possum. This icon is often depicted in Australian Aboriginal artworks from Yuendumu in Central Australia. The possum Dreaming is of significance. View article |
RainThis symbol represents rain in Australian Aboriginal artworks in Central Australia. Aboriginal people celebrate rain by performing song and dance cycles during ceremonies. View article |
Sandhill or CloudThis symbol has multiple interpretations. It can represent as sandhill, cloud, rainbow or windbreak (shelter) in Australian Aboriginal artworks. View article |
Smoke, Waterflow, Lightning or BushfireThis symbol depicted has many different interpretations, depending on the artist's Dreaming. It can represent in Australian Aboriginal paintings as smoke, waterflow, lightning or bush fire. View article |
SnakeThis symbol represents snake. In Centralian Australian Aboriginal artworks the snake is referred to as the Rainbow Serpent, a mythology creature from the Dreamtime. View article |
SpearThis symbol depicts two examples of a spear. The spears are handcrafted by the Australian Aboriginal men and used as weapons for hunting prey. The men heat the spears over fire or in hot ash to straighten or strengthen the wood. View article |
StarThis symbol can be depicted in Australian Aboriginal artworks as a star. The stars are referred to by Aboriginal people , as totemic beings. View article |
Travelling SignThis symbol depicted represents campsite or resting place (circle) joined by path (straight lines) . This is often seen in Australian Aboriginal artworks. View article |
Waterholes connected by running waterThis symbol depicted represents two waterholes connected by flowing water (wavy lines). View article |
Witchetty GrubThis symbol depicts a witchetty grub, which is a feature in Central Australian Aboriginal artworks. The grub is considered to be a staple food souce for Aboriginal people. View article |
WomanThis symbol represents a woman and digging stick. Australian Aboriginal women from Central Australia used digging sticks to dig out edible bush food, such as roots, yam, witchetty grubs. View article |
Woman 2This symbol depicts digging stick (I), woman (U), coolamon (()). These are common symbols used in bush tucker paintings from Central Australia. View article |
Yam PlantThis symbol depicts the yam plant and its extensive root system. It features in many Australian Aboriginal paintings from Central Australia. The bush yam is a staple food source gathered by the Aboriginal women. In cereonies the women pay homage tothe yam plant. View article |
Aboriginal word glossary
