Echoes from the Past: World's Oldest Rock Art Indonesia Discovery Dated to 67,800 Years

A hand reaches out from the darkness of time. Researchers have identified a faded outline on an Indonesian cave wall as the oldest surviving work of art, created at least 67,800 years ago.

Analyzing the World's Oldest Rock Art in Indonesia

On a small island off the coast of Sulawesi, archaeologists found a stenciled outline of a human hand that's rewriting the history of creative expression. According to a recent study published in 2026, this stencil is the world's oldest known artwork. It also serves as the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens inhabiting the islands between continental Asia and Australia.

The discovery is the result of a massive 6-year survey led by Adhi Agus Oktaviana of Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency. The team explored 44 rock art sites, uncovering 14 previously undocumented locations. By analyzing mineral formations, they successfully dated 11 pieces of art across eight caves.

Why This Timeline Matters

The find challenges previous assumptions about where and when complex human thought emerged. The stencils, including those at the Liang Metanduno site, show that ancient humans possessed the desire to leave a permanent mark on their environment much earlier than once thought. This suggests that the journey toward modern human cognition wasn't a local European event but a global shift.