Origins of 1,400-year-old mysterious earth rings have finally been revealed

Some odd ancient earth rings in Australia that could be over a thousand years old have had their origins revealed.

The bizarre rings were found on the outskirts of what is now Melbourne, with the meaning behind them long unknown, though scientists have finally uncovered the reasons behind their creation in the first place.

Sadly for any extra-terrestrial fans, the answer isn't anything otherworldy, though it is an eye-opener.

The origin of these odd circles have been explained (Caroline Spry et al., Australian Archaeology (2025))

A new study that was published earlier this month in Australian Archaeology has revealed that the ancient rings were originally created by Australia's Aboriginal Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, centuries ago.

These large rings that were found in the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country in the suburb of Sunbury have long been a mystery, as similar rings have been found in the UK and even Cambodia.

It is believed that ancient people living in these areas would dig out and put together earth, that would then form large circles that would measure hundreds of metres in diameter.

Despite nearly 100 being found, it is thought that hundreds of these rings were across Australia, which would have been destroyed during European colonisation.

The remaining rings now hold significant cultural and historical importance to Aboriginal groups in the country, as a reminder of their history.

Researchers and elders of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung culture explain that it reflects on the occupation, colonisation, self-determination, adaptation, and resilience of the people.

Scientists behind the study believe that fully understanding the earth rings involves understanding Aboriginal culture's insight into the land, and the effect that their ancestors had on the region.

They noted that previous studies suggested that they were 'sacred locations', but found that not much from cultural values and landscape perspectives were documented.

Many rings were found in Australia, though some have been discovered in the UK and Cambodia as well (Caroline Spry et al., Australian Archaeology (2025))

Now, a unique excavation of one of these rings has found that it was created anywhere 'between 590 and 1,400 years ago', and that Aboriginal people of the time cleared land and plants while scraping soil and rock to create the ring mound.

Stones were arranged by layering rocks too, as the published findings found that campfires would be lit here, while stone tools would be used to move things in the ring.

It is believed by researchers that they could be used on plants and animals, also potentially being used to scar human skin in ceremonies.

In conclusion, they wrote: “The results bring together Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people’s understandings of the biik wurrda cultural landscape and archaeological evidence for cultural fire, knapping, movement, trampling, and tool-use by their Ancestors at the ring.”

The scientists added that the 'Sunbury Rings' and its purpose may have faded, but they have instead being replaced by understanding the cultural importance of the area, which has been passed down through generations of the indigenous people.