Archaeologists found the world’s oldest cave art, a 67,800-year-old red hand stencil in Indonesia, showing early human symbolic behavior.

Archaeologists have discovered the world’s oldest known cave art in Liang Metanduno cave on Muna Island, Indonesia, with a red hand stencil dated to at least 67,800 years ago. Using uranium-series dating on mineral layers over the pigment, researchers determined the artwork’s age, making it over 15,000 years older than previous Sulawesi findings. The handprint, created by blowing ochre over a hand pressed to the wall, features uniquely narrowed fingers, possibly indicating symbolic meaning. The site shows evidence of repeated artistic activity over thousands of years, suggesting long-term human presence. The discovery supports theories that modern humans reached Southeast Asia and possibly Australia by at least 65,000 years ago, highlighting early symbolic behavior in the region.