Virtual Tour of Sampeang Cave

See traces of pre-Austronesian culture from 30,000 years ago

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The cave is located in Tompobalang Village, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi. It is also one of the rock art site situated at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park.

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Two chambers in Sampeang 1 Cave

The main chamber is on the left side, and the second chamber is on the right. The cave contains 88 rock art including hand stencils, human figures, geometric patterns, and unidentified objects.

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This is the main panel of Sampeang Cave. Most of the hand stencils are painted at the ceiling and the right side of chamber one. Not only normal fingers, the hand stencils also depicted narrowed fingers.

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The human figure depicted with black charcoal pigment on the ceiling is related to the Austronesian painting traditions.

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Using the  uranium-thorium dating method, the hand stencils on the ceiling in Leang Sampeang Cave were dated back to 31.8 and 28.3 thousand years ago. The location of the hand stencils is 17 meters from the cave entrance and 18 cm above the current cave floor

The human figure at Sampeang cave with straddle position, Maros (2014) by Adhi Agus OktavianaArchaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization

Human figure in a pose found on the walls of Sampeang Cave

The stick of two hand stencils at Sampeang Cave, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2014, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization
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The normal fingers of hand stencils in Sampeang Cave, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2013, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization
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The narrowed fingers at Sampeang Cave, Adhi Agus Oktaviana, 2015, From the collection of: Archaeological, Language and Literature Research Organization
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The variety of hand stencils is as follows: on the left is a double hand, in the middle is a normal finger, and on the right is a narrow finger hand stencil. 

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