Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,000-year-old painted limestone plaque on Wetar Island in eastern Indonesia.
It was discovered by researchers from Australian National University and Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency. Charcoal from the surrounding layer dates the plaque to roughly 4,090–3,900 years ago.
The stone measures about 9 by 7 inches and carries a red circular design with faded lines radiating outward. Researchers identify it with the Austronesian Painting Tradition, a style found across eastern Indonesia and parts of the Pacific.
The discovery offers clues about the Austronesian expansion, which began in Taiwan around 4,800 years ago. These seafaring communities eventually spread across Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Importantly, the painting predates the earliest pottery found at the Wetar site by around 200 to 500 years. This suggests symbolic traditions may have travelled ahead of some material technologies.
Researchers also found 135 beads, including changing styles associated with early Austronesian-linked sites.
The team now plans to excavate other painted rock shelters and search for similar evidence of ancient migration and cultural exchange.
