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Indonesian handprints are the oldest cave art found yet

by By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN/AP Science Writer
| January 24, 2026 1:00 AM

Handprints on cave walls in a largely unexplored area of Indonesia may be the oldest rock art studied so far, dating back to at least 67,800 years ago.

The tan-colored prints analyzed by Indonesian and Australian researchers on the island of Sulawesi were made by blowing pigment over hands placed against the cave walls, leaving an outline. Some of the fingertips were also tweaked to look more pointed.

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