The discovery of the world’s oldest known cave art has been made in Indonesia, with hand stencils dating back at least 67,800 years. This significant find, located in the Liang Metanduno limestone cave on Muna Island, contributes to the understanding of early human artistic expression and its evolution over time.
Researchers from Indonesia and Australia uncovered the faded reddish hand stencils, which were created by blowing pigment onto a hand pressed against the rock surface. According to Adam Brumm, a professor of archaeology at Griffith University in Brisbane and a co-author of the study published in the journal Nature, the findings are remarkable. “Usually, rock art is very difficult to date, and it doesn’t date back to anywhere near that old,” Brumm noted.
Significance of the Discovery
The hand stencil found in Liang Metanduno is over 15,000 years older than a previously dated painting in another cave on Sulawesi, which depicts three human-like figures interacting with a pig and is estimated to be around 51,200 years old. Brumm expressed astonishment at the discovery, stating, “I thought we were doing pretty well then, but this one image just completely blew that other one away.”
This discovery highlights the potential for discovering even older forms of art in Indonesia, a region that remains largely archaeologically unexplored. The researchers are eager to find additional examples of ancient art, including storytelling pieces that could provide further insights into the lives of early humans.
Implications for Human Migration
The implications of this discovery extend beyond artistic expression. Brumm suggests that it may offer clues about the migration of early humans, particularly concerning the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, who are believed to have inhabited the continent for at least 50,000 years. Notably, one archaeological site in Australia is estimated to be around 65,000 years old.
Brumm stated, “Now that we’re finding rock art dating to 67-68,000 years ago on the island of Sulawesi, which is essentially on Australia’s doorstep, it does make it considerably more likely that modern humans indeed were in Australia at least 65,000 years ago.”
The cave art at Liang Metanduno is open to tourists, yet much of the art discovered to date consists of more recent depictions of domesticated animals, believed to be around 4,000 years old. Rock art specialist Adhi Oktaviana, the lead author of the study, first identified faint images behind more contemporary art in 2015.
Brumm emphasized the importance of these findings, especially as they challenge previous assumptions that significant artistic culture emerged primarily in Europe during the Ice Age, with cave paintings in France and Spain dating to approximately 30,000 to 40,000 years old.
“This shows that humans outside Europe were making incredibly sophisticated cave art tens of thousands of years earlier,” Brumm concluded. The discoveries in Indonesia not only redefine the timeline of human artistic culture but also expand the narrative of human migration and adaptation, revealing a rich tapestry of early human life in areas previously overlooked.
