January 23, 2026 | 12:57 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Culture Minister Fadli Zon stated that the discovery of handprints on a cave wall in Sulawesi will be recorded in the early history of Nusantara civilization. This statement follows the discovery of rock paintings that are now considered the oldest in the world. "This is a significant discovery," said Fadli at a press conference in his office in Jakarta on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
The stencil or handprint paintings were found in the limestone cave of Liang Metanduno on Muna Island, Southeast Sulawesi. Research by a team from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Griffith University, and Southern Cross University revealed that the paintings are at least 67,800 years old, based on laser-ablation uranium-series dating.
According to Fadli, this latest discovery must be protected and developed as a national cultural asset. He believes that the important site is vulnerable to damage due to easy human access and natural factors. "The Head of the Cultural Agency from Muna also mentioned that the handprints in the cave are often touched; this poses a danger," he stated.
Fadli stated that the government will collaborate with the Cultural Heritage Conservation Center in Southeast Sulawesi to ensure the protection of the site. There are also plans to elevate the status of the Muna Island site to a national cultural reserve, as it is currently only a provincial cultural reserve.
The minister further conveyed that this discovery will be presented to the public as strong evidence of Indonesia's position in the history of civilization. "This evidence increasingly proves that Indonesia is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world," he said.
Read: 7 Oldest Civilizations in the World and Their Impactful Innovations
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