A recent study has confirmed that the oldest known rock art, dating back approximately 67,800 years, was discovered in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. This stencil of a human hand offers significant insights into the migration patterns of early humans, suggesting that they may have been among the first populations to venture into Australia.
The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, reveals that this ancient art predates previously known cave paintings in the region by roughly 16,600 years. Maxime Aubert, a researcher at the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research at Griffith University, emphasized the importance of this finding, stating, “It is now evident from our new phase of research that Sulawesi was home to one of the world’s richest and most longstanding artistic cultures.”
The Liang Metanduno cave, where the stencil was found, is a notable site for understanding human history. It has preserved some of the earliest expressions of art, including paintings that depict both human and animal figures. Previous research highlighted the significance of Sulawesi as a potential stepping stone for Homo sapiens migrating from Asia to Sahul, a paleocontinent that once connected Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania.
The study authors focused their research on Sulawesi and its surrounding islands, identifying various ancient rock art pieces, including stencils resembling human hands. The oldest of these, discovered in the Liang Metanduno cave on the island of Muna, appears claw-like. Utilizing techniques such as uranium-series dating, the researchers established the stencil’s age, attributing it to an artist from a population likely connected to ancestors of the Aboriginal Australians.
“It is very likely that the people who made these paintings in Sulawesi were part of the broader population that would later spread through the region and ultimately reach Australia,” stated Adhi Agus Oktaviana from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency. This discovery supports the notion that the ancestors of the First Australians had reached Sahul by at least 65,000 years ago.
Previously, research had indicated two timelines for the arrival of H. sapiens in Sahul: the “long chronology” around 65,000 years ago and the “short chronology” approximately 50,000 years ago. The pathways taken by these early humans likely included routes through Sulawesi and Timor, which led to New Guinea and Australia.
The findings in Liang Metanduno also suggest a prolonged period of human presence in the area, as evidenced by younger paintings that indicate continuous occupation for at least 35,000 years. Renaud Joannes-Boyau from the Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group at Southern Cross University remarked, “With the dating of this extremely ancient rock art in Sulawesi, we now have the oldest direct evidence for the presence of modern humans along this northern migration corridor into Sahul.”
The research team aims to continue exploring the rich archaeological landscape of Indonesia, with a focus on sites along the northern route into Sahul. Aubert noted the importance of investigating other Indonesian islands, suggesting that they may hold further clues about the migrations and artistic expressions of ancient populations.
This groundbreaking discovery not only enriches our understanding of early human migration but also emphasizes the artistic capabilities of our ancestors, shedding light on the cultural practices that have shaped human history over tens of thousands of years.
