Discover the Cave of the Genies

Leang Jing is Buginese name for Cave of the Genies

By Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

The marine animal at Jing Cave, Maros (2014) by Adhi Agus OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

Leang Jing means "spirit cave" (in local Buginese) or Jin (in Indonesian) or Genie (English). The cave is home to numerous hand and foot stencil images, a variety of land and marine animals dating back to 29–22,000 years.

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Climb to the Genie Cave with a bamboo ladder

Leang Jing is located at Lopi-Lopi Karst Hill.

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Mind your head and steps

The entrance is covered by huge stalactites. Visitors would need to squat walk to reach the inside of the cave.

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A group of hand stencils on the ceiling

There are likely two hand prints on top of the red color on the group of multiple-hand stencils.

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The first hand stencils ever carbon dated in Indonesia

Red hand stencils painted on the ceiling was confirmed to date back to 29,100 years ago.

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Look a little closer

The heads of an animal, a bird, a human figure with spiked hair, and a squid was painted on top of the hand stencils. It is apparent that the paintings were made later than the hand stencils.

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Layers of rock art painting by different generations

A thorough examination of the two hand stencils reveals at least three rock art periods. First is the red hand stencils dating back to 29,100 year, second is the dark red hand stencil dating back to 22,900 year, and the latest one, figurative images on top of the hand stencils.

Tool stencils or hand stencils without fingers at Jing Cave, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2014, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

The dot motive inside the hand stencil at Jing Cave, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2014, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

Foot stencil at Jing Cave, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2014, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

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The negative stencils of what may be a tool made of bones (left image), hand stencils with dot motifs (center image), and stencil of a foot (right image).

The marine animal at Jing Cave, Maros, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2014, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

Animals images at Jing Cave, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2014, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

Human figure in Leang Jing, Maros, Dominic, 2022, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

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Rock art painting of a squid (left image), fish, bird (center image) and human figures with spiky hair painted using a hand brush (right image)

A landscape of paddy field in front of Sakapao Cave, Pangkep (2022) by Dominic and AA OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

See a pre-historic pig mating scene at Sakapao Cave

Continue your journey

Rare Pig Mating Scene at Sakapao Cave

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