A recent discovery in Indonesia has unveiled the world’s oldest known rock art, dated at over 67,000 years ago. Found in the Liang Metanduno cave on the island of Muna, this ancient stencil of a human hand provides significant insights into early human migration patterns, possibly linking our ancestors to the first populations that moved into Australia.
The discovery, detailed in a study published in the journal Nature, predates previous rock art findings in the region by approximately 16,600 years. Study author Maxime Aubert, from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research at Griffith University, emphasized the importance of Sulawesi, stating, “It is evident from our new phase of research that Sulawesi was home to one of the world’s richest and most longstanding artistic cultures.” This culture, he noted, has roots tracing back to the earliest human occupation of the island.
The island of Sulawesi holds a pivotal place in the narrative of human history. It has been a crucial hub for artistic expression, showcasing some of the oldest cave art known, including depictions of human and animal figures that suggest hunting scenes. Earlier research published in Nature in 2024 highlighted these artistic innovations. Furthermore, the archipelago may have played a vital role in the migration of Homo sapiens from Asia to Sahul, the now-submerged landmass that once connected Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania.
The team’s latest findings included several stencils, with the oldest one being the claw-like handprint identified in the Liang Metanduno cave. Utilizing techniques such as uranium-series dating and mineral deposit analysis, they confirmed that this stencil was created around 67,800 years ago. This art is attributed to an artist from the Homo sapiens lineage, likely connected to the ancestors of 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. He added that this discovery supports the theory that the ancestors of the First Australians were present in Sahul by around 65,000 years ago.
Previous research had proposed two timelines for the arrival of Homo sapiens in Sahul: the “long chronology” around 65,000 years ago and the “short chronology” around 50,000 years ago. It was also suggested that these early humans arrived via two routes, one through Sulawesi and another through Timor, leading to the New Guinea and Australian regions of Sahul.
According to the study, Liang Metanduno also contains younger art, indicative of a prolonged period of occupation, possibly lasting over 35,000 years. “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,” said Renaud Joannes-Boyau from the Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group at Southern Cross University.
Looking ahead, the research team plans to continue exploring the archaeological landscape of Sulawesi and its surrounding islands. “These discoveries underscore the archaeological importance of the many other Indonesian islands between Sulawesi and New Guinea,” Aubert noted, hinting at new sites for further investigation.
This remarkable finding not only enriches our understanding of early human art but also sheds light on the migration routes that shaped the peopling of Australia and its neighboring regions.
