Oldest cave painting discovered on Sulawesi
Since when have people depicted scenes from their daily life in art? A rock painting in Sulawesi, Indonesia, is reported to be 51,200 years old according to new dating methods - raising questions.
In a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, archaeologists have dated a rock painting to at least 51,200 years old. According to a study, this is the oldest known figurative painting in the world. The painting depicts, as researchers report, at least three human-like figures interacting with a wild boar. The painting is located in the Karst area of Maros Pangkep, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
"The results suggest that both the depiction of human-like figures and animals, as well as the use of composed scenes in art, have an older origin in human history than previously assumed," the statement reads. Another rock painting with a hunting scene was also newly dated and is reportedly at least 48,000 years old - 4,000 years older than previously thought. The study was published in the scientific journal "Nature".
Prehistoric rock art provides important information about early human cultures - but it is not easy to determine the exact and reliable age of these depictions. A team led by archaeologists Adhi Agus Oktaviana and Maxime Aubert from Griffith University in Australia managed to do this using an alternative form of Uranium-Thorium dating, a specific form of radiometric dating. For this, the scientists worked with a special laser technology. A mass spectrometer is coupled to a laser. Calcium carbonate samples, which have formed on the painting over the years, can be removed and analyzed in great detail with this method - which enables very precise age calculations.
Ten Thousands of Years Earlier than in Europe
It was widely assumed until now that contemporary art had much younger origins. This study calls this into question: The results implied that there was already a rich culture of visual historical storytelling on Sulawesi during an early phase in the history of Homo sapiens, particularly with regard to the relationship between humans and animals, write the researchers. In Europe, such depictions did not develop until tens of thousands of years later.
Sulawesi is located east of Borneo and is popular among tourists due to its volcanoes, coral reefs, and diving sites. The Karst region Maros Pangkep is located in the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park about 50 kilometers north of the capital Makassar. The spectacular rock paintings in the caves have been known since the 1950s.
- The cave painting in Sulawesi, featuring human-like figures interacting with an animal, challenges the assumption that depictions of such scenes in art have a younger origin in human history than previously thought.
- The discovery of these ancient cave paintings in Sulawesi emphasizes the significance of prehistoric rock art as a valuable source of information about early human cultures, particularly their relationships with animals.
- Visitors to Sulawesi, known for its volcanoes, coral reefs, and diving sites, can also discover the UNESCO World Heritage site of Maros Pangkep, where they can marvel at the 51,200-year-old cave painting featuring people, animals, and possibly stories from ancient human life.
