Ancient Hand Stencil in Indonesia Confirmed as World’s Oldest Art

A stencilled handprint discovered deep within the Liang Metanduno cave on Muna Island has been officially verified as the oldest non-figurative painting on Earth. Dating back at least 67,800 years, the artifact pushes the timeline of human artistic expression significantly further into the Palaeolithic era than previously documented.

The discovery, published in the journal Nature, marks a milestone for archaeologists working across Southeast Sulawesi. A collaborative team including Dr. Adhi Agus Oktaviana from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, alongside Griffith University professors Adam Brumm and Maxime Aubert, confirmed the age using an advanced geochronological method. This technique, developed in partnership with researcher Renaud Joannes-Boyau, allowed the team to bypass the limitations of earlier dating methods used during their decade-long survey of the region.

Work on the project began in 2012, initially centering on the island’s southwestern peninsula before expanding to the rugged terrain of Muna. Navigating remote sites presented significant logistical hurdles and funding constraints, yet the team persisted to verify the stencil’s age. Guinness World Records has since formally recognized the find, distinguishing it from other figurative cave art discovered in the area. The stencil stands as a profound testament to early human cognitive development, predating similar rock art discoveries and offering a rare glimpse into the symbolic lives of our ancestors.