Ancient Austronesian seafarers carried symbolic art 4,000 years ago
A 4,000-year-old painted stone plaque discovered on a remote Indonesian island is the first known example of portable art belonging to the Austronesian Painting Tradition (APT), providing a rare glimpse into the symbolic world of some of history's greatest maritime voyagers.
A 4,000-year-old painted stone plaque discovered on Wetar Island, Indonesia, is the first known example of portable art belonging to the Austronesian Painting Tradition (APT), offering a rare glimpse into the symbolic world of early maritime voyagers. Led by archaeologists from The Australian National University and Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency, the discovery was made during excavations at Huknaur rockshelter.
The plaque features a distinctive red concentric-circle and radiating sun-ray design, characteristic of the APT, which is found across eastern Indonesia and the western Pacific. This portable example of Austronesian painted art provides a securely dated archaeological context, offering new insights into the chronology and use of these symbolic designs.
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