Climate change and the world’s oldest cave art

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.