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Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – Animal painting found in the Karst cave Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat in East Kalimantan proves that the tradition of painting in the caves does not occur only in the European region, as previously thought.
"We can see that figurative art has evolved at about the same time in Europe and Asia," said researcher Maxime Aubert, quoted by AFP.
Aubert is badociate professor at Griffith University in Australia. He worked with a team from the National Archaeological Research Center (Arkenas) in an isolated cave in East Kalimantan.
"At present, it seems that two regions have developed rock paintings for the first time, and both appeared at almost the same time from two different angles in the Eurasian, European and Indonesian Paleolithic epochs," explained archaeologist Adam Brum. Study, as reported in the Griffith University Press Release.
This team examines caves in the interior of East Kalimantan and is estimated at 40 thousand years old. It is the oldest painting in the world and is thought to represent local wild cattle. However, according to information from the co-leader of the research team, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, the photo seen in the cave is a tapir.
This cave was discovered for the first time several decades ago and is located in the limestone mountains. There are thousands of other paintings found in the cave. In 2014, similar rock paintings were also found in Sulawesi. It's just that the painting is a little younger, 35,000 years ago.
For years, it was thought that cave paintings only appeared in Europe. Because these paintings are found in Spain, Italy and France. But, the results of similar paintings in Indonesia shake the theory.
Examine each layer
The team is currently studying each layer of the painting. In the lowest and oldest layer of paint, there are cattle paintings drawn in reddish colors. On the board is a purple stencil of the hand. These images are grouped by patterns and decorated with lines and dots.
There are also pictures of little sticks like humans of the same color. The upper layer contains images of people, ships and geometric patterns. Their research has just published their findings in the journal Nature, Wednesday (7/11).
Aubert and his team used the technique of "uranium dating series" to identify rock painting. This technique badyzes each layer of mineral calcite constituting the upper part of the table, year after year. This technique can also badyze the material under the paint.
They took samples less than one centimeter across the entire artwork and discovered an animal painting done at least 40,000 years ago. Even the estimated age could reach 52,000 years.
"Based on our knowledge, the largest animal painting is the art of the oldest figurative painting in the world," explained the team.
This painting is one of the first animal paintings. The study explained that the age of this painting corresponds to a period with mammoth paintings found in Germany.
Aubert plans to conduct additional tests on other rock paintings in Indonesia, including those in Australia. (age)
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