South Sulawesi, Indonesia, has emerged as one of the most important regions in the world for understanding the origins of human creativity. Recent archaeological research conducted in the limestone karst landscapes of Maros and Pangkep has revealed extraordinary evidence of prehistoric artistic expression. Using advanced Uranium-Series (U-Series) isotope dating, researchers determined that a figurative painting of a pig in Leang Tedongnge is more than 45,000 years old, with a minimum age of 45,500 years, making it one of the oldest known examples of figurative art ever discovered.
The study focused on two remarkable rock art sites: Leang Tedongnge and Leang Balangajia 1. Both caves were previously unknown to science and were discovered by archaeologists in 2017 and 2018 respectively. These sites are located within the spectacular Maros-Pangkep karst region, an area famous for its dramatic limestone towers, hidden valleys, caves, and some of the richest collections of prehistoric rock art in the world.
Leang Tedongnge is situated in a secluded karst valley near the border between the Maros and Pangkep districts. Hidden at the foot of a limestone hill, the cave contains a remarkable rock art panel featuring at least three large paintings of wild pigs. The most significant image, known as Pig 1, measures approximately 136 centimeters long and 54 centimeters high. This extraordinary artwork was created more than 45,000 years ago, during a period when early modern humans were establishing themselves across Southeast Asia. Above the animal’s hindquarters are two hand stencils created by prehistoric artists using sprayed pigment.
The cave panel also contains at least two additional pig figures, referred to as Pig 2 and Pig 3. Although parts of these paintings have been damaged by natural exfoliation of the cave wall, their heads and major body features remain visible. The arrangement of the animals is particularly intriguing. The pigs appear to be facing one another, with Pig 1 positioned to the left and looking toward the others.
Researchers suggest that this composition may represent a scene or narrative rather than isolated animal depictions. If this interpretation is correct, the panel could illustrate a social interaction involving at least three, and possibly four, individual pigs. Such storytelling through visual imagery would demonstrate a sophisticated level of symbolic thinking among early modern humans more than 45 millennia ago.
A second important site, Leang Balangajia 1, is located in the southern Maros district of Simbang. Inside a small side chamber, archaeologists discovered a large red outline painting of another Sulawesi warty pig. This impressive figure measures approximately 187 centimeters in length and 110 centimeters in height and is painted on the cave ceiling.
The pig is depicted in profile and retains several diagnostic characteristics of the endemic Sulawesi warty pig (Sus celebensis), including distinctive facial warts and a prominent head crest. Four hand stencils, painted at a later time, were superimposed directly over the pig image, indicating that the cave continued to be used by prehistoric communities over an extended period.
Both pig paintings were created using red to dark red-purple mineral pigments derived from ochre. The animals are shown in static positions with complete body outlines visible from the side. Their bodies are filled with irregular lines, dashes, and decorative markings. Although the artists did not clearly depict primary sexual characteristics, certain secondary features may have been intentionally represented.
One particularly curious feature appears on both dated pig figures. Each displays a pair of unusual teat-like projections beneath the neck area. The exact meaning of these anatomical details remains unknown and continues to be the subject of scientific discussion.
To determine the age of the artwork, researchers employed Uranium-Series dating on small coralloid speleothems—tiny calcium carbonate formations that had grown directly on top of the paintings. This dating technique provides a minimum age for the artwork because the mineral deposits must have formed after the paintings were created.
At Leang Tedongnge, scientists identified a tiny coralloid speleothem measuring only about 12 square millimeters. The deposit covered part of the rear foot of Pig 1. Due to its extremely small size, the sample could not be removed using conventional drilling equipment. Instead, researchers carefully extracted it using a small chisel.
An important discovery was made during the removal process. The red pigment layer beneath the mineral deposit detached from the cave wall and remained attached to the base of the speleothem. This confirmed beyond doubt that the mineral formation had developed after the painting was applied.
Back in the laboratory, the sample was micro-excavated into several extremely thin layers, each less than one millimeter thick. Scientists analyzed uranium and thorium isotopes from multiple sections of the speleothem. The results were remarkably consistent across all tested layers, indicating a stable geochemical system and providing a highly reliable age estimate.
The analyses revealed a minimum age of 45,500 years, meaning the painting is at least 45,000 years old and possibly even older. This astonishing date places the artwork among the earliest known examples of representational art anywhere on Earth.
The significance of this discovery extends far beyond Indonesia. For many decades, Europe was considered the birthplace of figurative art, with famous cave paintings in France and Spain often regarded as the earliest examples of artistic expression. The Sulawesi findings challenge this long-held assumption by demonstrating that people living in Southeast Asia were producing sophisticated figurative art at least as early as, and perhaps even earlier than, their European counterparts.
These paintings also provide valuable insights into the cognitive abilities of prehistoric humans. The artists were not simply copying animals they observed in nature. They were creating meaningful visual representations, possibly depicting stories, social interactions, and symbolic concepts. Such achievements reflect advanced imagination, communication skills, and cultural traditions that flourished over 45,000 years ago.
Today, the Maros-Pangkep karst region is recognized as one of the world’s most important archaeological landscapes. Hundreds of caves containing prehistoric art have been documented, and many more remain unexplored. Each new discovery has the potential to transform our understanding of human history and the origins of artistic expression.
The pig paintings of Leang Tedongnge stand as extraordinary reminders of humanity’s deep creative past. Hidden within the limestone caves of South Sulawesi for more than 45,000 years, these ancient masterpieces continue to reshape our understanding of where, when, and how the first artists emerged.