Ancient Cave Art in Indonesia: Newly Discovered Rock Painting Dates Back 51,200 Years

A rock painting found in Indonesia, estimated to be 51,200 years old, is the oldest evidence of people knowing how to illustrate stories in ancient times. This painting depicts a wild boar and three human figures, showing that people had the ability to think abstractly and illustrate stories at that time. The discovery made by Australian and Indonesian researchers, led by Professor Maxime Aubert from Griffith University, Australia, challenges our understanding of human evolution.

The painting is located in a limestone cave in the Maros-Pangkep district of South Sulawesi and is older than any previously discovered cave art. The dating was done using new methods involving laser-cut samples which determined the age with more precision. This method may lead to reevaluation of other rock paintings and could reveal even older examples of early human creativity.

This discovery suggests that ancient cave art may have been present in Africa as well, challenging previous beliefs that art originated in Europe. It opens up possibilities for further exploration of early human artistic expression and storytelling across different continents. As research continues, more surprises and discoveries are expected in the field of ancient art history.