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Oldest Known Cave Art Discovered: 67,000-Year-Old Hand Stencil

2/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A prehistoric hand stencil in a limestone cave on Muna Island dates to over 67,000 years ago.
Researchers used Uranium-series dating to determine its age, making it the oldest known cave art.
The stencil, created by Homo sapiens, suggests early symbolic traditions and predates European art by millennia.
The cave features later artworks, and researchers say the spit used in the painting may contain genetic material from the artists.

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Story summary

A prehistoric hand stencil in a limestone cave on Muna Island dates to over 67,000 years ago.
Researchers used Uranium-series dating to determine its age, making it the oldest known cave art.
The stencil, created by Homo sapiens, suggests early symbolic traditions and predates European art by millennia.
The cave features later artworks, and researchers say the spit used in the painting may contain genetic material from the artists.