On the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, a five-foot-long mural was exposed • Investigator: "I blurted out with astonishment"

• The ancient painting unveiled in Indonesia // Photo: Reuters

A five-foot-tall, 44-year-old mural, was uncovered in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. According to some scholars, the hunting scene depicted in the painting may be the oldest story ever found in the world. In comparison, the famous paintings, including scenes found in Europe, date from 14,000 to 21,000 years.

The discovery, which still requires further testing, is considered unique in its historical precedence and in what it tells us about the intellectual capacity of its contemporaries. Information about the unusual and unusual finds was published in the journal Nature, by archaeologists at Griffith University in the city of Brisbane, Australia.

"Our research colleague from Indonesia climbed a tree two years ago to reach the cave and sent me a photo of the painting," says Adam Brom, a university archaeologist. "I was amazed and uttered a curse with astonishment."

It should be noted that paintings that do not depict a scene are known to mankind even from earlier periods - more than 73,000 years back. However, scene paintings of a hunting course have not been found before, nor on the Indonesian island that has another 242 caves, much of which have not yet been explored.

The cave where the ancient painting was located // Photo: Reuters

The discovered painting depicts a local cell around which are human and semi-human figures with different animal characteristics, such as tail or snout. Some of the sides hold ropes and some of them look like bayonets. The researchers themselves still disagree on whether this is one piece that tells us a hunting story, or is it a piece created over time by various artists.

Apparently, this is the oldest human painting depicted in an animal. An earlier painting considered to be the oldest animal is also found in the Borneo region and is dated to 40,000 years, so the current painting is even earlier in this parameter.