PARIS, France, Jan 22, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A red stencil of a hand pressed against the wall of an Indonesian cave is the oldest rock art ever discovered, scientists said Wednesday, and sheds light on how humans first migrated to Australia. The cave art dates back at least 67,800 years, according to research published in the journal Nature by a team of Indonesian and Australian archaeologists. However the dating of that cave art "has been controversial," the study cautioned. The scientists also established that the Muna caves had been used for rock art many times over a long period. "These paintings provide the first evidence that modern humans were on these Indonesian islands at that time," Aubert said.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 22, 2026 07:05 UTC