In Indonesia, archaeologists conducting excavations in caves of the island of Sulawesi discovered two stone artifacts that turned out to be amazing examples of the oldest engravings in human history.
The find was made on an island that is famous for its cave paintings. The age of the latter is estimated at least 44 thousand years, which makes them one of the oldest on the planet. It is these images that attract archaeological expeditions here.
However, this time, scientists discovered even more amazing artifacts. In one of the caves of Sulawesi, they found two miniature stone engravings. They could be called pocket if ancient people had pockets.
It was possible to identify images on these stones only in the laboratory using modern technology. In appearance, these works of art are some kind of lines cut in stone. But analysis showed that one of these amulets depicts anoa – a dwarf buffalo. The second engraving depicts probably our Sun.
The age of artifacts is from 14 to 26 thousand years. Previously, archaeologists have found miniature engravings in Europe and West Asia. Their age is just over 20 thousand years. In Southeast Asia, archaeologists still have not found equally ancient and equally small works of art.
By the way, the artifacts were sent for a more detailed analysis to the university laboratory in Brisbane in Australia. He confirmed the artistic complexity of these miniature prints.
For example, anoa buffalo at first could not be seen even with the help of equipment. He seemed like an ordinary geometric figure. But scientists used a new method, varying the degree of illumination of the relics and directing light from different angles. The play of shadows helped make out the buffalo.
The ancient master must do justice – he depicted the animal in detail, and not schematically. Scientists were able to consider two straight horns, cheek, eye and even the nostril of this animal. Part of the back and belly were depicted using simple and deeply cut lines. Anoa buffaloes played an important role in the life of the ancient islanders. Their images were found earlier on the rocks.
The second engraving is also recognized as unique. She depicts not just the sun, but the shining sun. According to another hypothesis, this may be an image of a star explosion. Scientists do not know exactly when our ancestors began to depict the Sun. Until now, the oldest known image was known as the “heavenly disk of Nebra.” This artifact was found in Germany and is dated around 1600 BC.
Another example of the oldest depiction of the Sun is a stele found in the ancient Egyptian city of Amarna. It was established during the reign of the pharaoh Akhenaten (1353-1336 BC), who introduced the cult of Aton – the god of the Sun, and even built a whole in honor of him.
But the engraving from the island of Sulawesi is much older than both of these artifacts. It was carved at least 14 thousand years ago.
