World’s oldest known Cave Painting

Dating back to at least 45,500 years ago, a team of Griffith University archaeologists discovered what may be the world’s oldest known cave painting, in Indonesia.

Uncovered in South Sulawesi during field research conducted with Indonesia’s leading archaeological research center, Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional (ARKENAS), the cave painting consists of a figurative depiction of a Sulawesi warty pig, a wild boar that is endemic to this Indonesian island.

World’s oldest known Cave Painting

“The Sulawesi warty pig painting we found in the limestone cave of Leang Tedongnge is now the earliest known representational work of art in the world, as far as are aware,” said Professor Adam Brumm from Griffith’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, co-leader of the Griffith-ARKENAS team.

Photos and images courtesy of David McGahan.

source Science Advances