Ancient Hand Stencil May Hold Secrets to World's Oldest Rock Art, Dating Back 67,800 Years
Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in an Indonesian cave on Muna Island, where they found a faded outline of a hand etched into the wall. The ancient stencil is believed to be the world's oldest known rock art, dating back at least 67,800 years. The team, led by Prof Maxime Aubert from Griffith University in Queensland, used tiny calcite deposits that had formed over the top of the stencil to determine its age.
The Liang Metanduno stencil was discovered in a cave popular with tourists on Sulawesi's south-eastern peninsula. While the hand stencils were made using ochre mixed with water and sprayed onto the cave wall, researchers believe that some intentional modification may have taken place, resulting in narrow, pointy fingers.
The discovery is significant because it sheds new light on how and when humans first migrated from Sunda to Sahul, which connected Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. The rock art suggests that some humans traveled through Sulawesi using a northern route. However, the age of the hand stencil raises questions about who created it – was it Homo sapiens or another long-gone human species like Neanderthals?
Prof Adam Brumm, also from Griffith University, believes that the rock art supports evidence that northern Australia was settled at least 65,000 years ago. He notes that there is symbolic meaning behind the hand stencils, but says that it's unclear whether they resemble animal claws or more fancifully some human-animal creature.
Archaeologists are divided on the interpretation of the hand stencil, with Prof Paul Pettitt from Durham University cautioning against over-interpreting its complexity. He notes that Neanderthals were also modifying hand stencils in Spanish caves, and it's unclear whether the pointy-fingered hand stencils in Sulawesi were made on purpose or simply caused by the creator moving their fingers.
The discovery of this ancient hand stencil is a fascinating phenomenon that highlights the complexity of human history. While we can't yet determine who created it, researchers are excited to continue studying the rock art and shedding new light on our shared human past.
Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in an Indonesian cave on Muna Island, where they found a faded outline of a hand etched into the wall. The ancient stencil is believed to be the world's oldest known rock art, dating back at least 67,800 years. The team, led by Prof Maxime Aubert from Griffith University in Queensland, used tiny calcite deposits that had formed over the top of the stencil to determine its age.
The Liang Metanduno stencil was discovered in a cave popular with tourists on Sulawesi's south-eastern peninsula. While the hand stencils were made using ochre mixed with water and sprayed onto the cave wall, researchers believe that some intentional modification may have taken place, resulting in narrow, pointy fingers.
The discovery is significant because it sheds new light on how and when humans first migrated from Sunda to Sahul, which connected Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. The rock art suggests that some humans traveled through Sulawesi using a northern route. However, the age of the hand stencil raises questions about who created it – was it Homo sapiens or another long-gone human species like Neanderthals?
Prof Adam Brumm, also from Griffith University, believes that the rock art supports evidence that northern Australia was settled at least 65,000 years ago. He notes that there is symbolic meaning behind the hand stencils, but says that it's unclear whether they resemble animal claws or more fancifully some human-animal creature.
Archaeologists are divided on the interpretation of the hand stencil, with Prof Paul Pettitt from Durham University cautioning against over-interpreting its complexity. He notes that Neanderthals were also modifying hand stencils in Spanish caves, and it's unclear whether the pointy-fingered hand stencils in Sulawesi were made on purpose or simply caused by the creator moving their fingers.
The discovery of this ancient hand stencil is a fascinating phenomenon that highlights the complexity of human history. While we can't yet determine who created it, researchers are excited to continue studying the rock art and shedding new light on our shared human past.
... The more I read about this, the more questions pop into my mind. What other secrets is that cave hiding? Was it just a bunch of random squiggles or was there actual meaning behind them? And if we're talking symbolic meaning, does that mean we should be looking for clues to how our ancient ancestors communicated with each other? It's like unraveling a giant puzzle 
. I'm loving the idea of learning more about our shared human past though... my grandkids would love it 
so yeah, i mean this is wild right? like 67,800 years old...that's even older than my grandpa was alive lol. but seriously though, the fact that we're still debating whether it's Homo sapiens or another species is just mind-blowing. like shouldn't we be able to figure out who made it by now? and what's up with the pointy fingers tho? were they trying to make a statement about claws or something more abstract? 
i love how it raises questions about who made it tho was it homo sapiens or another species? we're one step closer to figuring out our ancient history and i'm so here for it 
let's keep exploring and learning 
what's up with those pointy fingers 
they look like claws or something? 
anyway, this is so cool 
can't wait to learn more about our ancient history 
I'm totally stoked about this new discovery!!! 
67,800 years old is like, ancient! 
Can you even imagine creating something that's been around for so long? 
The fact that the researchers are divided on what to make of it just makes it more intriguing - is it a sign of Homo sapiens or another human species? 
, 67,800 years old?! That's, like, soooo ancient 
It's mind-blowing to think about who made it and how they did... was it Homo sapiens or another species like Neanderthals? 
The pointy-fingered hands are so cool 
and it's just so fascinating! 
. It's crazy to think about how humans were already creating complex symbols and designs back then. And the question of who made it - was it Homo sapiens or someone else? 
... you know how they always have these crazy long lines? Anyway, I started wondering if the people waiting in line are thinking about what their lives would be like 67,800 years from now. Like, would we even still be eating burgers or would we have moved on to something entirely new 
?
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. I love how researchers are still debating the meaning behind the hand stencils - it just goes to show how complex and fascinating human history is 
this discovery just opens up so many more questions and possibilities... I'm literally dying to learn more about it 
– was it Homo sapiens or Neanderthals? 
for our understanding of human history. While we can't yet figure out who created the hand stencil, researchers are excited to continue studying it and uncovering its secrets