Home News Oldest Known Artwork Discovered in Indonesian Cave Shows Cave Art Originated In Africa
NewsWorld

Oldest Known Artwork Discovered in Indonesian Cave Shows Cave Art Originated In Africa

1.3k

Scientists have uncovered what is believed to be the world’s oldest artwork in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The painting, which measures 92cm by 38cm, is estimated to be around 51,200 years old. It depicts three figures gathered around a large red pig and is considered the earliest evidence of storytelling.

The research, published on Wednesday in the journal Nature, detailed the discovery inside the Leang Karampuang cave in South Sulawesi. Despite being in poor condition, the painting clearly showed the interaction between the figures, indicating a deliberate attempt to convey a story.

“This discovery suggests that storytelling and advanced artistic expression existed much earlier than previously thought,” Adam Brumm, an archaeologist at Griffith University and one of the study’s authors said.

The team used a new scientific method to date the artwork by analysing calcium carbonate crystals that naturally formed on the painting. This technique revealed the painting’s minimum age, pushing back the timeline of narrative art.

Previously, the oldest known narrative art was thought to have originated in Europe. However, this discovery challenges that notion because it suggests that representational art might have first emerged in Africa and spread as humans migrated.

“This finding drives home the point that Europe was not the birthplace of cave art, as long believed,” Brumm added.

Owing to the discovery, some archaeologists predict that even older samples might be discovered in the future.

 

Read also: China’s Chang’e-6 Probe Starts Return With First-ever Samples From Moon’s Far Side.

China Archives First-ever Sample Retrieval From Far Side Of The Moon

India’s X Alternative, Koo, Shuts Down Due to Funding Shortages

About The Author

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles

NewsPoliticsWorld

Tanzanian President Uses Banned Platform X for Campaign Messages — The Height of Political Hypocrisy

Tanzania’s president has come under criticism after posting a series of campaign...

News

Nigeria: FG Terminates CCECC’s Port Harcout-Aba Road Contract After Gov Otti’s Warning On 2027 Election Manipulation

The Nigerian government has terminated the 43-kilometre Port Harcourt–Aba Road contract awarded...

Human RightsNews

Five Years After EndSARS, Nigerians Urged To Light Candles In Memory Of Fallen Protesters

As Nigeria marks five years since the 2020 EndSARS protests, a coalition...

AgricultureBusinessNews

Côte d’Ivoire Cocoa Shipments Face Mass Rejections Over Poor Quality

Côte d’Ivoire shippers are rejecting a large percentage of cocoa beans arriving...