The discovery of the world’s oldest known cave art, a hand stencil estimated to be at least 67,800 years old, has been made in the Liang Metanduno limestone cave on Muna Island, Indonesia. This significant finding provides new insights into the earliest expressions of human creativity and the development of art among early humans.
Researchers from Indonesia and Australia uncovered the stencils, which were created by blowing pigment onto hands pressed against the cave wall. The stencils, although faint, are crucial in understanding the timeline of artistic expression, suggesting that humans began creating complex art much earlier than previously thought. The research team, which includes Adam Brumm from Griffith University in Brisbane, published their findings in the journal Nature on March 15, 2024.
Significance of the Discovery
The hand stencils found in Indonesia are more than 15,000 years older than a previously discovered painting on Sulawesi, which depicts human-like figures interacting with a pig and is dated to be approximately 51,200 years old. Brumm described the new discovery as “pretty extraordinary,” noting that dating rock art has typically proven challenging, with few examples dating back to such ancient times.
Brumm emphasized the importance of the finding for understanding the history of human artistic culture. “It really just shows how long people have been making rock art in that part of the world,” he stated. The researchers hope to uncover even older forms of art, including storytelling art, as much of Indonesia remains archaeologically unexplored.
Insights into Human Migration
The implications of this discovery extend beyond art history. The findings could provide clues about the migration patterns of early humans, particularly regarding the movement of the first inhabitants to Australia. Aboriginal peoples are widely believed to have been present in Australia for at least 50,000 years, with some archaeological evidence suggesting human activity as far back as 65,000 years. Brumm remarked that the proximity of Muna Island to Australia makes it plausible that modern humans reached the continent even earlier than previously thought.
The Liang Metanduno cave has attracted interest from both researchers and tourists, with previous artworks featuring depictions of domesticated animals that are estimated to be around 4,000 years old. The recent findings underscore the potential for even older and more complex artworks in the region.
In 2015, Adhi Oktaviana, the lead author of the recent study, discovered faint hand stencils obscured by more recent images. This revelation was groundbreaking, as it had previously gone unnoticed. Brumm noted, “No one had ever observed them before. No one even knew that they were there.”
As research continues, the discoveries in Indonesia challenge the notion that significant artistic expression was confined to Europe during the Ice Age, demonstrating that sophisticated cave art existed in other parts of the world tens of thousands of years earlier.
The exploration of Indonesia’s caves promises to reshape our understanding of human history and the origins of artistic expression, marking a pivotal point in the study of our ancestral past.
