World’s Oldest Cave Painting Found in Indonesia

SEAToday.com, Maros-Pangkep - A team of researchers, including scientists from Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Australia's Griffith and Southern Cross Universities, have unearthed a remarkable discovery in South Sulawesi. In a limestone cave located in Leang Karampuang, Maros-Pangkep, they found a cave painting estimated to be at least 51,200 years old, making it the oldest known cave painting in the world.

The research team used a cutting-edge analysis method through laser ablation U-series (LA-U-series) to accurately date the thin layer of calcium carbonate that formed on top of the art.

The analysis showed that the art underneath the layer had an earliest date of about 51,200 years ago.

This, according to the researcher's official statement, "makes it the oldest cave decorative image in the world as well as the earliest art narrative ever discovered and studied to date."

The painting depicts a scene of three human-like figures interacting with a wild boar. This discovery, according to research team leader Adhi Agus Oktaviana, has significant implications for understanding the origins of early art.

Not only is it the oldest cave painting ever found, but it's also the earliest known example of narrative art. This suggests that storytelling through cave paintings played a crucial role in early Indonesian human culture.