Oldest Human Art and Symbolic Expressions

Discoveries across the globe reveal the earliest forms of artistic and symbolic expression by prehistoric humans, pushing back the timeline of complex thought.

The top 3

1. Oldest Figurative Cave Art: The Sulawesi warty pig painting in Indonesia, dated over 45,500 years old, is considered the earliest known figurative depiction of an animal.
2. Earliest Personal Adornment: Perforated marine snail shells from Bizmoune Cave, Morocco, dating back at least 142,000 years, represent the oldest known beads used for personal adornment.
3. First Abstract Engravings: A geometric "hashtag" pattern engraved on an ochre piece from Blombos Cave, South Africa, dated to 73,000 years ago, is among the earliest abstract drawings.

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