Photo: BBC
Scientists uncover the world’s oldest hand stencil in Indonesia
Archaeologists have discovered the oldest known hand stencil in human history on the Indonesian island of Muna, southeast of Sulawesi. The red-colored stencil, created by spraying pigment over a hand pressed against the cave wall, is at least 67,800 years old, making it older than the previously recognized hand stencil in Spain by about 1,100 years.
The stencil is unique because the fingertips were carefully pointed, a style found only on Sulawesi. Researchers believe the artists were early Homo sapiens who migrated from mainland Asia to the Indonesian islands, possibly continuing later to Australia.
This finding not only pushes back the timeline of early symbolic art but also supports the idea that modern humans reached Australia and New Guinea earlier than previously thought. It also aligns with evidence of ancient trade networks in Oceania, including coastal shell and Lapita pottery exchange over hundreds of kilometers, demonstrating sophisticated cultural interactions among early societies.
