Rock art are drawings made by pre-historical humans on hard rock surfaces. The drawings were depicted as paintings, strokes, or carvings. Typical rock art in Indonesia comprises hand stencils, human figures, animals, boats, and geometrical lines.

Rock art sites in Indonesia can be found in Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, East Lesser Sunda Islands, Mollucas, and Papua. To date, there are over 700 sites in inland caves, coastal caves, coastal cliffs, karst islands, and monoliths.

Indonesian archaeologists and scientists have extensively expedited throughout Indonesia to document, research, and preserve rock art sites.

Here we can see rock art found at Tebing Ambe, a cliff deep in Maros region, Sulawesi.

The rock art samples were carefully taken from the site and analyzed using the uranium series method to determine the age. The Indonesia National Research & Innovation Agency worked with Griffith University to conduct the study at the Radiogenic Isotope Facility.  

Learn more about the groundbreaking technique here

There are several possible candidates during the Pleistocene era: early modern humans, the Neanderthals, the Denisovan, or the Australomelanosoid.  During the Holocene era, we are sure that they were Austronesian and Papuan tribes.

The primary materials used are ochre or hematites. In some cases, they also used charcoal, limestone, or crushed shells. While they would mainly draw with hands and fingers, they likely also used sprigs and animal bones.