Ancient rock art in Indonesia

In limestone caves on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, archaeologists have discovered a red hand stencil estimated to have been made at least 67,800 years ago. This find is considered the oldest recorded example of rock art in the world. Archaeologists confirm that the print was made using red pigment and is located on a wall deep inside the cave, making the discovery of such layers significantly less prone to speculation. According to the lead researcher, this discovery highlights the early development of visual expression among human groups in Southeast Asia.

Context

Analogous finds in Southeast Asia have previously been dated to around 27,000 years ago, but this hand stencil is older and had not been documented before.