Cover title.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 434-439) and index.

Aboriginal art has survived the colonial period to become a major feature of contemporary Australian society. Howard Morphy, one of the world's foremost authorities in this field, surveys the great variety in Aboriginal art, from ancient rock paintings to powerful modern works in acrylic on canvas. The patterns and symbols of Aboriginal art, though they may at first appear abstract, are laden with meaning. Morphy explains the social contexts in which art is made and its religious significance.

This is the first book on Aboriginal art to use a contextual approach to show the interrelationships between such diverse art forms as body painting, dance, the decoration of weapons and utensils, and painting on bark, board and canvas. The text is illustrated with outstanding examples, many published here for the first time. Today, Aboriginal art is seen as an expression of Aboriginal history, culture and identity. Howard Morphy's clear, insightful text explains why its international audience is growing.