Faded outline of a hand on Indonesian cave wall sparks debate over its age and purpose.
The discovery in Liang Metanduno, a limestone cave on Sulawesi's south-eastern peninsula, may have shed light on the origins of Australia's Indigenous population. The ancient hand stencil, estimated to be at least 67,800 years old, has raised questions about human migration from Sunda to Sahul.
Archaeologists believe that humans first traversed Sulawsi by taking a northern route across the island. This theory is supported by other cave paintings on the island, including one dated to at least 51,200 years ago. The images depict three human-like figures and a wild pig, providing valuable insights into the lives of our ancient ancestors.
The hand stencil itself was created using ochre mixed with water sprayed onto the cave wall through a handheld brush. Researchers have discovered that similar stencils were made by Neanderthals in Spanish caves around 64,000 years ago. However, not all experts agree on the significance of this discovery.
Some argue that the tweaks to the hand stencil make it complex and therefore likely created by Homo sapiens. This would suggest that modern humans have been in Australia for at least 65,000 years, contradicting some theories about human migration.
Other researchers believe that the pointy-fingered design may have resulted from natural movements of the hand rather than intentional modification. As Prof Paul Pettitt noted, "To call this complex is rather over-interpreting the hand stencil."
Despite the debate surrounding its purpose and age, the Liang Metanduno hand stencil remains an intriguing discovery that sheds light on our shared human history.
The discovery in Liang Metanduno, a limestone cave on Sulawesi's south-eastern peninsula, may have shed light on the origins of Australia's Indigenous population. The ancient hand stencil, estimated to be at least 67,800 years old, has raised questions about human migration from Sunda to Sahul.
Archaeologists believe that humans first traversed Sulawsi by taking a northern route across the island. This theory is supported by other cave paintings on the island, including one dated to at least 51,200 years ago. The images depict three human-like figures and a wild pig, providing valuable insights into the lives of our ancient ancestors.
The hand stencil itself was created using ochre mixed with water sprayed onto the cave wall through a handheld brush. Researchers have discovered that similar stencils were made by Neanderthals in Spanish caves around 64,000 years ago. However, not all experts agree on the significance of this discovery.
Some argue that the tweaks to the hand stencil make it complex and therefore likely created by Homo sapiens. This would suggest that modern humans have been in Australia for at least 65,000 years, contradicting some theories about human migration.
Other researchers believe that the pointy-fingered design may have resulted from natural movements of the hand rather than intentional modification. As Prof Paul Pettitt noted, "To call this complex is rather over-interpreting the hand stencil."
Despite the debate surrounding its purpose and age, the Liang Metanduno hand stencil remains an intriguing discovery that sheds light on our shared human history.
So I'm reading about this cave wall in Indonesia with a 67,800-year-old hand stencil and I'm like, how old is this thing? 
Can we even trust the dating methods used here? Like, what's the margin of error on that estimate? And what makes them think it was made by humans anyway? The whole "Homo sapiens created this complex design" argument just seems kinda convenient to me 
And what about the similarities with Neanderthal stencils in Spanish caves? Can we assume those were made by the same people or something?
Can someone point me to some reliable studies or articles that break down the methods and findings in detail? 
I mean, 65k years is a huge chunk of time, but at the same time, it feels like we're already overcomplicating things. Can't we just appreciate that our ancient ancestors were creative and artistic without trying to pin down every little detail? 
, but at the same time, I'm super skeptical about it... Like, how do we even know if it's not just some old rock with a weird shape? 
And what's up with these tweaks to the hand stencil - are they really that complex or is it just our brains playing tricks on us? 
but like, what if it wasnt even made by homosapiens? maybe some other ancient human did it 
anyway, its still a pretty cool find, even if we dont fully understand it yet 
meanwhile, others think its just a random natural occurrence lol what do u guys think ? should we be stoked or skeptical ?? 
the idea that humans have been in Australia for at least 67,800 years is mind-blowing! it's like we're uncovering pieces of a puzzle that's been hidden for so long 
and the fact that this hand stencil has sparked such debate among experts just shows how much we still have to learn about our shared human history 
but at the same time, I'm not sure I agree with Prof Pettitt when he says we're over-interpreting the design... isn't it cool that we get to see these ancient artworks up close? 
. I mean, on one hand, it's pretty mind-blowing to think that humans might have been in Australia for at least 65k years 
, but then again, some people are all like "wait, maybe it was just a natural movement of the hand" 
. I don't know, man... it's all so confusing 
. And what if we're even overthinking it? Maybe it's just a stencil, you know? 
. But at the same time, I mean, 67k years old is wild 
, and it could totally change our understanding of human migration... or not 
seriously though, it's wild to think that this could be proof of humans migrating from sumatra to australia. but at the same time, i'm not buying the whole "complex design" thing... i mean, it's just a hand 
. and prof paul pettitt is low-key my spirit animal with that "over-interpreting" comment 
67,800 years old? That's ancient! 
And the fact that it's similar to Neanderthal stencils in Spanish caves is just mind-blowing! 
. On the other hand, if it's indeed Homo sapiens created that stencil, it would be a game-changer for Australia's Indigenous population history, especially when considering they've been living there for at least 65k years 
. But let's keep in mind, we don't know all the facts yet, so I'm keeping an open mind