This book is an extensive survey of the historical and cultural contexts of the Aboriginal items on display at an exhibition held in the early 1980s at the National Museum of Australia. While some of the information is now out-dated, Carol Cooper was thorough in compiling essays and comments from herself and other experts to narrativise and interpret this material in new ways for the late 20th Century. The book contains detailed images of the items in the exhibition as well as photographs and explanations of rock art and cultural practices such as rituals and ceremonies which add to the context and understanding of the collections. The use of maps and a user friendly catalogue assist the reader to locate the origins and traditional owners of items in the collections.