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Portable art from Pleistocene Sulawesi
Michelle C Langley1, Budianto Hakim2, Adhi Agus Oktaviana3,4
1Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. m.langley@griffith.edu.au.
Stone plaquettes with figurative art discovered in Sulawesi, dating back 26,000 years, reveal early Homo sapiens created sophisticated portable art in Southeast Asia-Australasia. This finding challenges previous beliefs about early human creativity in the region.
Area of Science:
- Archaeology
- Paleoanthropology
- Art History
Background:
- Figurative art production is considered a unique cognitive trait of Homo sapiens, distinguishing us from extinct hominins.
- Pleistocene figurative art evidence, primarily rock art and portable objects, is well-documented in Europe but scarce in Southeast Asia-Australasia.
- This scarcity has led to uncertainties about the cultural behaviors and artistic capabilities of early Homo sapiens in the Southeast Asia-Australasia region.
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