Virtual Tour of Leang Timpuseng

Visit 35,000 years old rock art

A way to Timpuseng Cave, Maros (2022) by Dominic and AA OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

Leang Timpuseng

Leang Timpuseng is situated in Maros region of Sulawesi, Indonesia, within a rugged karst landscape characterized by limestone hills and dense tropical rainforest. Leang Timpuseng is unique because it also has a water source and it is used to water the paddy field around it.

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The main chamber

Leang Timpuseng has at least three chambers where some panels in the main chamber contain hand stencils image from 39.9 kya and pig image from 35.4 kya

Pig image and hand stencils at Timpuseng Cave, Maros (2013) by Adhi Agus OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

The figurative image of a pig dates back to 35.4 thousand years ago and was drawn with red hematite using a hand or wood tool brushed on the ceiling of the cave.

A DStretch enhancement of pig and hand stencils at Timpuseng Cave (2015) by Adhi Agus OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

An enhanced image of the pig at Leang Timpuseng.

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The hand stencils of children

Three small hand stencils, presumably belonging to children, are depicted on the right side of the middle chamber wall, just following the small hallway. Two of them are facing downward and the other one facing upward.

Can you spot them?

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Hand stencils on the ceiling

Several hand stencils are depicted on the ceiling of the right chamber. They are all in poor condition, and most of the parts are peeled off.

The narrowed fingers at Timpuseng Cave (2015) by Adhi Agus OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

Detailed look of the hand stencils, see the tip of the fingers.

The three narrowed fingers at Timpuseng cave (2015) by Adhi Agus OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

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