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World's Oldest Cave Paintings Risked by Indonesian Wildfires
23 Oct
Summary
- Over 67,000-year-old cave paintings face destruction from wildfires.
- Heat and smoke accelerate corrosion and obscure ancient art.
- Fires burned within 800 meters of prehistoric art site.
The world's oldest known cave paintings, located on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, are critically endangered by the nation's most severe wildfires since 2015. These ancient artworks, some over 67,000 years old, are under threat from extreme heat and smoke, which accelerate corrosion and obscure the delicate imagery.
Wildfires, exacerbated by a strong El Niño, have spread to Sulawesi, impacting the Maros-Pangkep region, a UNESCO Global Geopark. Firefighters have been working to contain blazes that burned within 800 meters of a significant cave site, with over 270 hectares of the national park affected between September 30 and October 18.
Archaeologists warn that without immediate mitigation efforts, these invaluable records of human history could be permanently lost. The heat alone, even without direct flame contact, poses a significant risk by altering the cave's microclimate and damaging the ancient art.
