World’s Oldest Known Rock Art Hand Stencil Discovered in Sulawesi

World’s Oldest Known Rock Art Hand Stencil Discovered in Sulawesi

Scientists have recently identified what is considered the world’s oldest known rock art hand stencil in the Sulawesi, specifically in the Liang Metanduno Cave. The artwork, discovered in limestone caves near Muna Island, is estimated to be at least 67,800 years old, making it older than previously known rock art in Europe. This discovery significantly expands the understanding of early human creativity and symbolic expression.

The artwork is a hand stencil, created when prehistoric humans placed their hands on a cave wall and sprayed pigment—likely red ochre—around it, leaving a negative impression. A distinctive feature of this stencil is that the fingers appear modified to resemble claw-like shapes, suggesting that early humans experimented with symbolic or imaginative representation rather than simply recording physical impressions.