A 51,200-year-old cave painting depicting three human-like figures and a wild pig has been discovered at Leang Karampuang cave in Sulawesi, Indonesia, making it the world’s oldest example of a ‘picture story’. Researchers from Griffith University in Australia, Southern Cross University, and the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency published their findings in the journal Nature, shedding new light on human creativity during evolution. Using a new dating method, the artwork was found to be nearly 6,000 years older than the previous oldest cave art in Indonesia. The painting, with human-animal hybrids and a wild pig, is the earliest representation of a ‘picture story’, suggesting storytelling was crucial to early human culture in Indonesia.
This discovery surpasses the previous oldest figurative painting of a wild pig at Leang Tedongnge cave, dated at 45,500 years old. The researchers used a laser to date layers of calcium carbonate on top of the art, providing a more accurate dating of the ancient artwork. The painting showcases the importance of warty pigs to elite individuals in the region both economically and symbolically. However, the meaning of the artwork and the identity of the animals in the human-animal hybrids remain elusive. This finding challenges the previous belief that the oldest form of art was geometric rather than representational, highlighting the significance of early storytelling in human culture. The discovery opens up new possibilities for understanding the creative abilities and cultural practices of early humans in Indonesia.
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