Leang Karampuang, Maros-Pangkep, South Sulawesi: A Prehistoric Cave Housing The Oldest Known Narrative Painting

UNGKIT.COM – Leang Karampuang is an archaeological site—a prehistoric cave located within the Maros-Pangkep karst region, specifically in Samangki Village, Simbang District, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi Province, on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Etymologically, the word "Leang" means "cave," while "Karampuang" is derived from a combination of the terms "karaeng" and "puang," following a linguistic shift where the allomorph "eng" transformed into "m."

Both terms refer to two distinct entities representing major historical kingdoms in South Sulawesi: the Kingdom of Bone and the Kingdom of Gowa.

The titles "Karaeng" (associated with the ruler of Gowa) and "Puang" (associated with the ruler of Bone) serve as symbols of authority and leadership, rooted in historical events from the past.

Located within the Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park, this cave has received recognition following the discovery of rock art—ancient imagery—identified as one of the oldest narrative paintings in the world.

The red-pigmented painting depicts an interaction between humans and a wild boar, demonstrating the capacity for storytelling through art as early as 51,000 years ago.

Found inside the limestone cave of Leang Karampuang in the Maros-Pangkep region of South Sulawesi, the painting shows three human-like figures interacting with a wild boar.

The artwork depicts a large boar standing upright, its mouth partially open. The animal, painted in red, is surrounded by three human-like figures of the same color.

One of the largest human-like figures, positioned face-to-face with the pig, has its arms outstretched; its left hand holds what appears to be a staff.

Dating back at least 51,200 years, the cave paintings at Leang Karampuang convey the oldest narrative ever recorded in the world.

This discovery also indicates that narrative cave art was an essential component of the artistic culture of early humans in Indonesia at that time.

For context, the Pyramids of Giza are 4,500 years old, making these rock paintings—created by our ancestors—46,700 years older. Even the oldest cave paintings discovered in Europe are significantly younger.

This research is the result of a collaboration between a team of researchers from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and colleagues from Griffith University and Southern Cross University, Australia.

Together, they employed cutting-edge scientific methods to determine the age of the paintings. Their findings were published in the journal Nature.

The dating method for this ancient rock art utilized LA-U-series (laser-ablation uranium-series) technology, applied to the calcite layers covering the paintings.

These findings underscore the significance of Sulawesi as a hub for early human cultural heritage, while also enriching the global understanding of the development of prehistoric art and symbolism.

The narrative rock art at the Leang Karampuang site was first discovered in 2018 by the Makassar Archaeology Office—under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Culture—in conjunction with a rescue survey team from the Cultural Heritage Preservation Office (BPK) Region XIX, Makassar.

In 2022, further research was conducted by a team of archaeologists from Griffith University, Australia, in collaboration with BRIN, led by Professor Maxime Aubert and Adhi Agus Oktaviana. The team utilized the LA-U-series dating method to establish the age of the paintings.

Previously, in 2021, the same team discovered a painting of a pig at Leang Tedongnge, estimated to be approximately 45,500 years old. Additionally, they identified paintings at Leang Bulu' Sipong 4 dating back approximately 43,900 years.

These discoveries reveal that early modern humans in this region were already capable of creating art featuring complex narratives and representations—a remarkable feat for that era.

This indicates that the artistic and narrative capabilities of early modern humans developed much earlier than previously assumed. (*)

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