Overview
- The stencil, found in Liang Metanduno on Muna Island in Southeast Sulawesi, was documented by an Indonesia–Australia team led by researchers from BRIN and Griffith University.
- Laser‑ablation uranium‑series measurements on mineral crusts yielded minimum ages, including 67,800 years for the hand and about 60,900 years for a nearby motif, indicating repeated use of the cave over at least 35,000 years.
- The hand shows deliberately narrowed, pointed fingertips characteristic of a distinctive Sulawesi style, which researchers consider intentional though its meaning remains uncertain.
- The new minimum age exceeds the 66,700‑year date reported for a Maltravieso hand in Spain, with specialists stressing that such dates set floors rather than exact creation times and do not by themselves confirm the artists’ identity.
- The authors judge Homo sapiens the most plausible makers based on technical and stylistic complexity, and they argue the findings strengthen models for an early migration into Sahul via a northern Wallacean route, underscoring the value of protecting these sites.