Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

4,000-year-old painted stone in Indonesia reveals art carried by ancient Austronesians

timesofindia.indiatimes.com · 4hShare

A painted stone found on Indonesia's Wetar Island offers ancient insights. This artifact dates back over 4,000 years and shows early artistic traditions. The artwork predates Neolithic pottery, revealing a significant cultural development. Portable symbols likely traveled with Austronesian voyagers across islands. This discovery reshapes our understanding of ancient maritime cultural exchanges.

First report: Ancient Austronesian seafarers carried symbolic art 4,000 years ago — phys.org, 2d