A discovery made in an Indonesian cave could radically change our understanding of human evolution.
Australian and Indonesian scientists have discovered the oldest known cave painting on Celebes Island in the Indonesian archipelago, which is BBCThe painting is at least 51,200 years old, five thousand years older than the oldest drawing previously thought.
The discovery dates back to the moment when creative thinking first appeared. According to Maxime Aubert, a professor at Australia’s Griffith University, the latest finding could radically change our understanding of human evolution. “The painting tells a complex story and is the oldest evidence of storytelling. This highlights that even at that time people were able to think in abstract terms.”
The drawing depicts a wild boar and three human figures. The largest figure can be seen with outstretched arms and a stick in his hand, the second also holds an outstretched tool, stands in front of the animal and touches its throat with his stick, and the third is upside down next to the mammal.
According to the leader of the research group, Adi Agus Octaviana, storytelling was an important part of early Indonesian culture, but he believes that people were thinking about stories long before the discovery in question was made.
The earliest known cave paintings – found in South Africa and dating back 75,000-100,000 years – are much older, and still show “only” geometric shapes. The latest discovery, in the limestone cave of Liang Karambang, is considered early evidence of figurative art.
