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Climate change and the world’s oldest cave art

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    History & Culture
  • Published
    18th May, 2021

Researchers have alarmed regarding the decay of Pleistocene-era rock paintings which dates back to 45,000-20,000 years ago in cave sites in southern Sulawesi, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Context

Researchers have alarmed regarding the decay of Pleistocene-era rock paintings which dates back to 45,000-20,000 years ago in cave sites in southern Sulawesi, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Key findings

  • Scientists have warned that environmental degradation is killing one of the oldest and most precious pieces of the world’s human heritage.
  • The artwork that is made with pigments is decaying due to a process known as
  • Decay is triggered by the growth of salt crystals due to a repeated change in temperature and humidity.
  • It is caused by alternating wet and dry weather in the region.
  • Indonesia has also experienced several natural disasters in couple of years, which have quickened the process of deterioration.

About the Sulawesi Cave painting

  • The cave painting depicts a wild boar endemic to the Sulawesi island of Indonesia, where the painting was found.
  • It dates back to more than 45,000 years
  • The painting was made using red ochre pigment.
  • These pigs have been hunted by humans for tens of thousands of years and are the most commonly depicted animal in the ice age rock art of the island.
  • The artwork in the area includes the world’s oldest hand stencil (almost 40,000 years ago).
  • It was created by pressing the hand on a cave wall, and spraying wet red-mulberry pigments over it.

The Sulawesi island

  • Sulawesi is also known as Celebes.
  • It is one of the four Greater Sunda Islands which are recognized as Borneo, Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra.
  • It is governed by Indonesia. 
  • The central Indonesian island is situated between Asia and Australia and has a long history of human occupation.
  • It occupies an area of over 174,000 sq. km.

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