Archaeologists Discover World’s Oldest Artwork in Indonesian Cave

Researchers have uncovered what they believe to be the world’s oldest known artwork, discovered in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday.

The painting, which depicts three people gathered around a large red pig, is estimated to be around 51,200 years old.

The discovery, published in the journal Nature, surpasses the previous record holder – a 45,500-year-old picture of a warty pig found in the same region.

According to the study’s co-author Maxime Aubert from Griffith University, “This is the oldest evidence of storytelling” found to date. The positioning and interaction of the human figures suggest a deliberate attempt to convey a narrative, though the exact meaning remains unknown.

Archaeologists speculate the painting was created by some of the first humans to migrate through Southeast Asia before reaching Australia around 65,000 years ago.