51,200-Year-Old Indonesian Cave Art Revealed as Oldest Narrative Painting

New analysis dates sophisticated human-animal interaction scenes in Sulawesi caves, pushing back the timeline of early storytelling.

• The cave art depicts humans interacting with warty pigs, suggesting early forms of storytelling.
• Advanced dating techniques indicate the paintings are at least 51,200 years old.
• The findings challenge previous eurocentric views on the origins of narrative art.
• Experts debate whether the scenes truly represent storytelling or isolated images.
• The discovery highlights the rich cultural history of early humans in Southeast Asia.

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