The oldest rock painting of an animal found in Borneo

Probably the oldest rock art of an animal was found in the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. The researchers write in the scientific journal Nature that drawing is at least 40,000 years old. This would be the first known figurative rock design.

The painting was discovered in East Kalimantan, where thousands of handprints, drawings and prehistoric symbols were discovered in various caves. These caves, hidden in the dense jungle of the island, are known since the 1990s for the many petroglyphs that can be found there.

Researchers do not know exactly which animal is represented on the oldest rock art. They suspect that it is a banteng. It is a wild cattle that still exists in the area.

Older Work

The Indonesian and Australian research team dated the paintings by examining the dye used and the calcium layer on and around the drawings. . It contains uranium isotopes and, scientists have been able to calculate the age of rock drawings thanks to the speed with which they expire.

Livestock is not the oldest painting found by the research team. A handprint has also been found which, according to the researchers, is over 51,000 years old. In addition, images of human figures from 16,000 to 21,000 years old were discovered

One of the scientists concludes, based on the dated drawings, that a similar transition from animal drawings to images of people is in progress. Realization course in South East Asia. in Europe.