A newly published study has identified rock art in Sulawesi, Indonesia, dating back an astonishing 67,800 years, making it the oldest known rock art reliably dated to date. This discovery, detailed in the journal Nature, offers significant insights into the potential early migrations of human populations from Asia to Australia.
The artwork, a faint stencil resembling a human hand, was found in the Liang Metanduno cave, located on the island of Muna, part of the greater Sulawesi region. Maxime Aubert, a researcher at the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, highlighted 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.”
Sulawesi has long been considered a critical site for understanding early human history. The island has preserved some of the oldest cave art, including both human and animal figures, and may have facilitated early movements of Homo sapiens as they migrated toward Sahul, the ancient landmass that once connected Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania.
The recent research concentrated on ancient rock art and its implications for understanding human migration patterns. The team employed various techniques, including uranium-series dating and mineral deposit analysis, to ascertain the age of the hand stencil. This artwork predates previous discoveries in the region by approximately 16,600 years.
In addition to the hand stencil, the researchers identified multiple stencils in the Liang Metanduno cave, some of which had been modified to appear claw-like. The findings strongly suggest that the creators of this art were part of the ancestral population that would eventually populate Australia.
Adhi Agus Oktaviana from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency remarked on the implications of this discovery, asserting, “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 supports the theory that the ancestors of the First Australians were present in Sahul by around 65,000 years ago.
The study also revisits previously established timelines regarding human arrival in Sahul. Researchers have debated two primary timelines for this migration: the “long chronology” around 65,000 years ago and the “short chronology” around 50,000 years ago. These timelines suggest that early humans may have reached Sahul through island-hopping routes, with one path traversing Sulawesi and another through Timor.
According to the study, Liang Metanduno contains younger rock art as well, indicating a prolonged period of occupation spanning at least 35,000 years. Renaud Joannes-Boyau, from the Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group at Southern Cross University, emphasized this point: “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.”
Looking ahead, the research team aims to continue exploring other Indonesian islands that may provide further evidence of ancient human activity and artistic expression. “These discoveries underscore the archaeological importance of the many other Indonesian islands between Sulawesi and New Guinea,” Aubert added, indicating potential sites for future investigation.
This remarkable study not only enhances our understanding of ancient human migrations but also highlights the cultural richness of early human societies in the region. As research continues, the insights gleaned from these ancient artworks may further unravel the complex history of human settlement and migration across the globe.
