Ancient Cave Paintings in Indonesia Push Back Timeline of Storytelling
- Recent radiometric dating reveals that cave paintings in Sulawesi, Indonesia, are older than previously believed.
- This discovery suggests that the origins of storytelling may date back further than the historical record has indicated.
- Scholars are excited about the implications of these findings for understanding early human culture.
A groundbreaking discovery in an Indonesian cave has revealed a painting of a pig alongside human-like figures, dating back at least 51,200 years. This artwork, found in the limestone cave of Leang Karampuang on Sulawesi Island, is now recognized as the oldest known example of representational art globally. Maxime Aubert from Griffith University emphasizes the significance of this finding, stating it represents humanity's early storytelling capabilities. The discovery, made in 2017, has been re-evaluated using a new dating technique that has provided more accurate age estimates for the artworks. Researchers found that the art at Leang Bulu’ Sipong 4 is over 4,000 years older than previously believed, while the Leang Karampuang piece is even older. These findings suggest that the Sulawesi artworks predate the oldest known European rock art by at least 10,000 years, indicating that modern humans, Homo sapiens, were present in the region much earlier than previously thought. The innovative dating method involves extracting a small core from the rock surface and using a laser to analyze isotopes, allowing for minimal disruption to the artwork. Joannes-Boyau, a researcher involved in the study, anticipates that this technique will lead to significant revisions in the history of rock art worldwide. Experts like Kira Westaway and Porr stress the importance of further archaeological work in the region to deepen our understanding of the social, economic, and cultural contexts surrounding these ancient images during the late Pleistocene era.