Hand shape in Indonesian cave may be world’s oldest known rock art

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Ian Sample Science editorJanuary 21, 2026 at 05:00 PM

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Archaeologists have discovered a hand stencil in a cave on Muna Island, part of Sulawesi, Indonesia, that may be the world's oldest known rock art, dating back at least 67,800 years. The discovery was made in Liang Metanduno cave, where the stencil had been unnoticed among more recent paintings. Researchers from Griffith University dated calcite deposits that formed over the stencil to determine its age. The finding supports the theory that early humans migrated through Sulawesi on a northern route to Sahul, the landmass connecting Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. This discovery also provides evidence that northern Australia was settled at least 65,000 years ago. The hand stencils were created by spraying ochre mixed with water over a hand pressed to the wall.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Java 40% Sumatra 40% Borneo 40% Liang Metanduno 50% Adam Brumm ×260% Australia ×360% Muna Island 70% Griffith University ×370% Maxime Aubert ×270% Sulawesi ×380% Indonesia 90%

Keywords

rock art 100% cave painting 90% hand stencil 80% sulawesi 70% archaeology 60% indigenous australians 50% dating 50% migration 40% calcite deposits 40%