Clawed Hand Period
Primary Clawed Hand Group
360x150mm (14x6ins)

The Clawed Hand Period is named after its most frequently recurring motif, the Clawed Hand Motif. These motifs are generally freehand depictions of wrist length adult hands, mostly appearing to have been bichrome, possibly with yellow as the secondary fugitive colour. Palm and wrist areas frequently feature a diverse range of geometric infills. Fingers invariably have long clawlike tips, at times with hair-like lines radiating around the claw bases. Occasionally stencil hands have more recently been neatly superimposed over them, initially appearing similar to the recent decorated hand paintings of Arnhem Land. Several very clear and apparently genuine stencils inexplicably record similar 'claw' tips on the actual hands. Clawed Hand Period art is technologically grossly inferior to the earlier art periods; suggesting the appearance of a new culture and marking the start of the Aborigine Epoch.

For more information on Bradshaw Paintings, watch the iLecture 'Bradshaws - Ancient Rock Paintings of North West Australia'

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