The oldest known narrative artwork created by humans has been discovered in a cave in Indonesia, dating back more than 51,000 years. The painting, which depicts three people around a large red pig, was found in poor condition but is significant as it represents the earliest evidence of storytelling. The discovery was made using a new laser technique that is more precise, easier, quicker, and cheaper than the previous uranium series method. The team first tested the new technique on the previous record holder, a hunting scene found in a nearby Indonesian cave, and determined that it was actually at least 48,000 years old. They then applied the laser method to a previously undated painting found in a cave on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island in 2017, which was found to be at least 51,200 years old. The painting may have been created by the first group of humans who moved through Southeast Asia before arriving in Australia around 65,000 years ago. The discovery challenges our understanding of human cognitive evolution and suggests that storytelling was a much older part of human history than previously thought. The team plans to continue searching for older samples in the region.
The discovery of the Indonesian cave painting fills a “huge gap” in human art, as the first images known to have been made by humans are simple lines and patterns found in South Africa dating back 100,000 years. There is a mystery surrounding the absence of art for 50,000 years between these early examples and the Indonesian cave paintings. One theory is that artwork elsewhere did not survive all those millennia, while another is that ancient art could still be out there waiting to be discovered. Previously, the first narrative art was thought to have emerged in Europe, with a “lion man” statue found in Germany dated to around 40,000 years ago. The date given for the Indonesian cave art is “quite provocative” because it is so much older than what has been found elsewhere, including in Europe. The findings of the experienced team need to be confirmed by further dating, but if confirmed, they reinforce the idea that representational art was first produced in Africa before 50,000 years ago, and the concept spread as our species spread. If that is true, much new supporting evidence from other areas, including Africa, has yet to emerge.
