A painting created at least 51,200 years ago was discovered in the limestone cave of Leang Karampuang in the Maros-Pangkep region of the Indonesian island.
About Leang Karampuang Cave:
It is a limestone cave located on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
Key findings
A scene of humans interacting with a pig painted on a cave wall is found in the cave.
The scene, dominated by a representation of a pig that is standing upright along with three smaller human-like figures, is painted in a single shade of dark red pigment.
One figure seems to be holding an object near the pig’s throat. Another is directly above the pig’s head in an upside-down position with legs splayed out.
The third figure is larger and grander in appearance than the others; it is holding an unidentified object and is possibly wearing an elaborate headdress.
This painting predates the cave paintings of Europe, which is at El Castillo in Spain, dating to about 40,800 years ago.
The researchers interpreted the painting as a narrative scene, which they said would make it the oldest-known evidence of storytelling in art.
The earliest Sulawesi rock art is not 'simple, it is quite advanced and shows the mental capacity of people at the time.
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