Recent findings suggest that the oldest known rock art, dating back over 67,000 years, has been discovered on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. This ancient art, a stencil of a human hand, offers vital insights into early human migration patterns and may indicate connections to the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians. The research, published in the journal Nature, reveals that this rock art predates previous discoveries in the region by approximately 16,600 years.
The stencil, located in the Liang Metanduno cave, has a distinctive claw-like appearance. Maxime Aubert, a researcher at the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research in Australia, emphasized the significance of Sulawesi as a site of rich artistic heritage. Aubert noted, “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.” This artistic tradition dates back to the earliest human occupation of the island, estimated to have begun at least 67,800 years ago.
Significance of Sulawesi in Human History
Sulawesi has long been recognized as a critical site for understanding human history. It preserves some of the earliest known cave art, including depictions of human and animal figures. Previous studies have indicated that the island played a significant role in the migration of Homo sapiens from Asia to Sahul, the paleocontinent that once connected Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania.
The recent study focused on a series of ancient rock art paintings across Sulawesi and its nearby islands. Among these artworks, the oldest stencil in Liang Metanduno was created by an artist who likely belonged to a population that eventually migrated to Australia. According to study co-author Adhi Agus Oktaviana from the National Research and Innovation Agency in Indonesia, “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.” This discovery supports the notion that the ancestors of the First Australians were present in Sahul by around 65,000 years ago.
Research Methods and Future Directions
The research team employed various techniques, including uranium-series dating and mineral deposit analysis, to accurately date the claw-like stencil. The findings provide the oldest direct evidence of modern humans navigating this northern migration corridor into Sahul. Renaud Joannes-Boyau, from the Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group at Southern Cross University in Australia, highlighted the implications of these discoveries, stating, “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 study also noted that Liang Metanduno contains younger artworks, suggesting a prolonged period of human occupation lasting at least 35,000 years. This insight opens up new avenues for research, as the team aims to explore additional sites along the northern route into Sahul. Aubert remarked on the archaeological significance of the Indonesian islands, stressing the importance of investigating other locations between Sulawesi and New Guinea.
These discoveries not only deepen our understanding of human history but also underscore the complexity of early human migration patterns. The findings from Sulawesi serve as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage that continues to shape our understanding of ancient societies and their movements across the globe.
