Re‐analysis of the “engraved” Diprotodon

Despite at least 20,000 years of coexistence – and the ubiquity of bone technology across the Australian continent – direct evidence for the use of megafaunal materials (skin, bone, teeth, etc.) remains as elusive as evidence for these creatures having been hunted. Amongst the slim evidence for human–megafauna interaction currently available, one of the most often cited cases is the “engraved” incisor from the giant wombat-like Diprotodon optatum recovered from Spring Creek located in Eastern Maar country in south-eastern Australia. Despite comments in the literature that the marks observed on this tooth are unlikely to have been made by lithic tools (as originally proposed), this item has never been re-analysed in order to resolve the question: Which actor made these marks? Here, the results of a new analysis of this specimen are presented. Through microscopic examination of each mark alongside zooarchaeological and ecological data, it is demonstrated that the incisions were indeed not made by human hands, but instead by a small (2–5 kg) mammal, most likely a scavenging spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus).No Full Tex