Liang Metanduno
Cave and archaeological site in Indonesia
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Liang Metanduno is a cave and archaeological site on Muna Island, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Of several rock paintings in the cave, two hand stencils discovered in 2026 are the oldest known rock art, dated at least 67,800 years old.[1][2] The hand stencils are also the oldest known symbolic imagery used by humans.[3] It also adds to information on human migration in Southeast Asia.[4]
| Liang Metanduno | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Liang Metanduno | |
| Location | Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia |
| Length | 23 m |
| Height variation | 8 m |
| Discovery | 1984 |
| Geology | Karst |
| Entrances | 1 |
Background
Muna Island was explored by the Pusat Penelitian Purbakala dan Peninggalan Nasional (National Prehistoric and Heritage Research Center, later renamed National Archaeology Research Institute or NARC) of the Indonesian government, which discovered the area as a site of prehistoric cave rock arts in 1977.[5] The cave arts consisted of an array of human, animal and Sun depictions. Liang Metanduno was one of the easily accessible caves. Liang is an Indonesian for "cave", and metanduno is a Muna language for "to gore".[6] The NARC organised a second exploration in 1984 by which additional rock arts and new caves containing were discovered.[7]
Liang Metanduno has a single entrance with a dome shape measuring 21 metres (69 ft) wide. It is 23 metres (75 ft) long from mouth to the wall end, 23 metres (75 ft) wide in average, and 8 metres (26 ft) high.[6] It is of karst (carbonate rocks including limestone) formation.[8][9] Stalactites and stalagmites are actively formed. It has become one of the main tourist attraction in Muna Island, and stairs are constructed at the entrance for ease of entering.[6]
Rock arts
S.A. Kosasih, the leader of the 1984 exploration, documented 316 rock arts in Liang Metanduno. Most of the pictures are within the well-lit area of the cave opening. Most of the drawings are well preserved while some are vandalised or worn out or covered by green moss.[6] Hand stencils were discovered by Adhi Agus Oktaviana during the 2015 exploration.[10]
Paintings
The pictures are those of human figures, centipedes, chickens, deer, dogs, horses, pigs, snakes, boats, suns, and some unidentifiable objects. There were drawn using ochre pigments for red and brown colours, and charcoal for black. The picture fills and lines were made with brushes.[6]
Hand stencils
Seven negative hand stencils have been identified. The images were created by spraying hands with pigment against the wall. They show normal hand figures kept spread, except one which shows a pointed finger.[6] The age of the hand imprints wera estimataed using uranium-thorium dating. The findings reported in Nature in 2026 revealed that two of the stencils became the oldest rock art, at age about 71,000 (minimum estimate 67,800) years.[2] They are older than those of the Iberian Mediterranean Basin, then the oldest known rock arts at 64,800 years old.[11]