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Oldest Cave Art Found: 67,800 Years Old!
22 Mar
Summary
- Sulawesi cave art dated to at least 67,800 years ago.
- Artwork offers clues to human migration to Australia.
- Hand stencil shows intentional modification, a claw-like appearance.
An international research team has uncovered the world's oldest reliably dated cave art in Sulawesi, Indonesia. This ancient hand stencil, found in the Liang Metanduno cave, dates back at least 67,800 years. Scientists used uranium-series dating on mineral layers to establish the age of the artwork.
The discovery is significant for understanding early human migration to Australia. The people who created this art were likely closely related to the ancestors of Indigenous Australians, supporting the 'long chronology' theory that humans reached the ancient landmass of Sahul by 65,000 years ago. This evidence strengthens the case for a northern migration route through Sulawesi.
Further analysis revealed that artistic activity in the cave spanned at least 35,000 years, concluding around 20,000 years ago. The hand stencil itself displays a unique modification, appearing to have been intentionally altered to give it a claw-like shape, the meaning of which remains uncertain. The research highlights Sulawesi as a site of a rich and long-standing artistic culture with origins in the earliest human occupation of the island.
