🧐 Ancient Beat #117: Ancient Play Doh, the oldest narrative art, and rituals passed down for 500 generations

Welcome to issue #117 of Ancient Beat! Here’s the latest ancient news. 👇

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🗞 Ancient News: Top 5

• Narrative Cave Art in Indonesia by 51,200 Years Ago — Cave art in Indonesia has been re-dated using laser ablation U-series analysis on calcium carbonate layers, and it goes back to 51,200 years ago. That makes it the oldest example of narrative and representational art. They include scenes featuring human-like figures, animals (wild pigs, miniature buffalos), and abstract shapes, suggestive an early form of storytelling. The discovery was made in a limestone cave on the island of Sulawesi. It features a depiction of a wild pig and three human-like figures. One figure holds a rod with extended arms, another stands near the pig's snout also holding a rod, and the third has splayed legs reaching for the pig's head. The scene suggests an early form of storytelling.

Image credit: Adhi Agus Oktaviana, et al.

• Oldest Living Culture: New Research Shows An Indigenous Ritual Passed Down For 500 Generations — Excavations at Cloggs Cave in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, revealed two miniature fireplaces dating back 12,000 years. Each contained a trimmed stick smeared with animal fat, indicative of ceremonial practices. But another article I found described them as tools for digging and the like. The fireplaces’ design matches 19th-century ethnographic records of rituals by the GunaiKurnai people. This discovery provides a rare archaeological link to cultural practices spanning 500 generations, underscoring the deep historical continuity of Indigenous rituals in Australia.

• 4,000-Year-Old Temple With Mysterious Large Monolith Discovered In Cyprus — Archaeologists in Cyprus have uncovered a 4,000-year-old temple housing a massive monolith. Its purpose remains unknown. The temple's architecture, which includes altars and offering pits, and the presence of the monolith, suggest significant ritualistic or ceremonial functions.

  

  Image credit: University of Siena

• 3500-Year-Old Ritual Table Found In Azerbaijan — At Tava Tepe in the Caucasus region near Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, a 3500-year-old ritual table was uncovered. The Late Bronze Age site featured a concentric-circle earthen structure with a kitchen area and the ritual table, complete with ceramic utensils. Traces of food preparation were found, alongside animal bones and pottery. The structure had a monumental entrance with wooden columns and a thatched roof, spanning about 49 feet in diameter. Human figurines in votive pits indicate ritualistic use.

• Did Upper Paleolithic Children Craft Clay Figurines? — Approximately 30,000 years ago in the Czech Republic, children likely created small clay figurines, treating the material much like modern-day Play-Doh. These figurines, some fired in hearths, offer a glimpse into prehistoric play. Analysis of 489 artifacts reveals signs of novice craftsmanship, supporting the idea that children were involved. Fingerprints on these objects belong to children aged 6 to 15. This research highlights children's contributions to prehistoric craft production, shifting perspectives to include them as significant participants in their communities' cultural evolution.

That’s it for the free Top 5! If you’re a free subscriber, sign up for the paid plan for another 18 discoveries and 5 recommended pieces of content covering species selection, stone circles, early plant farming, hoards, and the movie “300”.

Until next time, thanks for joining me!

-James
Twitter: @jamesofthedrum

P.S. If you want access but it’s a little too steep for you right now, just email me — I want this to be accessible.

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🗞 Ancient News: Deep Dive