Portable art from Pleistocene Sulawesi

Michelle C. Langley (), Budianto Hakim, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, Basran Burhan, Iwan Sumantri, Priyatno Hadi Sulistyarto, Rustan Lebe, David McGahan and Adam Brumm
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Michelle C. Langley: Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University
Budianto Hakim: Balai Arkeologi Sulawesi Selatan
Adhi Agus Oktaviana: Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional (ARKENAS)
Basran Burhan: Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University
Iwan Sumantri: Hasanuddin University
Priyatno Hadi Sulistyarto: Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional (ARKENAS)
Rustan Lebe: Balai Pelestarian Cagar Budaya
David McGahan: Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University
Adam Brumm: Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University

Nature Human Behaviour, 2020, vol. 4, issue 6, 597-602

Abstract: Abstract The ability to produce recognizable depictions of objects from the natural world—known as figurative art—is unique to Homo sapiens and may be one of the cognitive traits that separates our species from extinct hominin relatives. Surviving examples of Pleistocene figurative art are generally confined to rock art or portable three-dimensional works (such as figurines) and images engraved into the surfaces of small mobile objects. These portable communicative technologies first appear in Europe some 40 thousand years ago (ka) with the arrival of H. sapiens. Conversely, despite H. sapiens having moved into Southeast Asia–Australasia by at least 65 ka, very little evidence for Pleistocene-aged portable art has been identified, leading to uncertainties regarding the cultural behaviour of the earliest H. sapiens in this region. Here, we report the discovery of two small stone ‘plaquettes’ incised with figurative imagery dating to 26–14 ka from Leang Bulu Bettue, Sulawesi. These new findings, together with the recent discovery of rock art dating to at least 40 ka in this same region, overturns the long-held belief that the first H. sapiens of Southeast Asia–Australasia did not create sophisticated art and further cements the importance of this behaviour for our species’ ability to overcome environmental and social challenges.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0837-6

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