Indonesia: Climate change wrecking ancient cave paintings in Sulawesi Islands

A new study revealed that the oldest-known hand stencil drawing is degenerating at an ‘alarming rate’ due to climate change. The island of Sulawesi in Indonesia consists of a cave art that dates back more than 45,000 years. The ancient cave paintings include depictions of animals, mixed human and animal figures, hand stencils drawn in red and mulberry pigments, and is considered the earliest known narrative scene in prehistoric art.

Climate change affecting rock art 

The Leang Tedongnge cave in the Maros-Pangkep region of Sulawesi consists of hand stencil art dating back 39,900 years and rock art showing a warty pig that is at least 45,500 years old. As per a statement, the anecdotal evidence suggests that the paintings have been ‘deteriorating’ at an accelerated rate in recent decades. Jillian Huntley and colleagues investigated the potential causes of accelerated rock art degradation at 11 cave art sites in Maros-Pangkep. This was done by analysing flakes of rock that had begun to detach from cave surfaces. The scientists found salts including calcium sulfate and sodium chloride in flakes of rock at three of the sites. They also found high levels of sulphur, a component of several salts, at all 11 sites. The findings indicate that the process of salt-related rock art degradation is widespread in Maros-Pangkep.

The study authors wrote, “Cave paintings in Sulawesi and Borneo are some of the earliest evidence we have that people were living on these islands”. They added, “Tragically, at almost every new site we find in this region, the rock art is in an advanced stage of decay”. 

As per the scientists, repeated changes in temperature and humidity caused by alternating periods of seasonal rainfall and drought contribute to salt crystal formation and rock art degradation. They propose that these changes may be accelerated by rising global temperatures and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change. To prevent this, long-term monitoring and conservation efforts are needed, concluded the authors.

(Image Credits: Unsplash)