Maxime Aubert

Maxime Aubert is a researcher, likely an archaeologist or scientist, involved in the study and dating of ancient rock art in Indonesia. He is newsworthy due to his involvement in the discovery and analysis of a handprint stencil found in a limestone cave on Muna Island, part of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This handprint has been dated to approximately 67,800 years old, making it potentially the oldest known example of rock art in the world. The discovery is significant because it pushes back the timeline of human artistic expression and provides insights into early human migration patterns, particularly towards Australia. The research, published in Nature, highlights the importance of the Indonesian region for archaeological finds and contributes to our understanding of early human cognitive abilities and cultural practices. Images provided by Aubert are being used to illustrate the findings.