Ancient Handprints Uncovered: A Glimpse into the Earliest Rock Art

Ancient handprints found on cave walls in Sulawesi, Indonesia, dating back over 67,800 years, may represent the oldest rock art studied to date. The stencils, created by blowing pigment over hands, indicate a rich artistic culture. Scientists aim to uncover more about humanity's early creativity and cultural practices.

In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have identified what could be the oldest known rock art—a series of handprints on cave walls in Sulawesi, Indonesia, that are at least 67,800 years old. These findings highlight the region's rich artistic culture.

The handprints were made by blowing pigment over hands placed against the wall, leaving an outline, and possibly tweaking fingertip shapes for a pointed appearance. Researchers dated mineral crusts over the art to determine their age.

This discovery reinforces Indonesia's status as a host of the world's earliest cave drawings and supports theories about human creativity's evolution. The exact origins of the handprints remain unclear, but they could belong to ancient human groups like the Denisovans or early Homo sapiens.

(With inputs from agencies.)