Traces of Sulawesi’s Early Humans (Part 1)

The karst caves in Maros regency, South Sulawesi, are treasure troves holding a wealth of stories tens of thousands years old. On the cave’s walls, the eternal traces of Sulawesi’s earliest inhabitants are found.

KOMPAS/MOHAMAD FINAL DAENG

Hand stencils in Leang Petta Kere prehistoric caves in Bantimurung district, Maros regency, South Sulawesi, on Friday (16/3/2018).

Opening Treasure Trove

It was already past midday on Friday (16/3/2018) when Kompas stepped into the Leang Pettae cave in Leang-leang sub-district, Bantimurung district, Maros. Flashlights were pointed to the ceiling of the narrow and dark cave.

A drawing in red paint of a four-legged creature was seen. Despite most of the surface inside the cave was covered in white stains, the drawing can be easily recognized as that of a babirusa.

Not far from there, on another part of the 2.5-meter-high cave ceiling, a number of hand stencils are found. The hand stencils were made by spraying paint on the palms, which are then put on the cave walls. This leaves behind hand prints on the walls.

“Leang Pattae was the first cave in the Maros-Pangkep karst region found by archeologists to have prehistoric paintings, when CHM Heeren Palm held research here in 1950,” said Budianto Hakim, 53, an archeologist from the Makassar Archeology Center.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

The caves might have been used by ancient humans to survive, as food waste such as clam shells were found in Leang Bulu Sipong, Maros regency, South Sulawesi, on Saturday (21/9/2013).

That day, Budianto was accompanying Kompas in venturing into several prehistoric caves in Maros, including Pettae. The caves are located in a karst region called Maros-Pangkep. Pangkep is a acronyum of Pangkajene and Kepulauan (Islands), which neighbors Maros to the north.

Palm’s research discovered prehistoric paintings in other caves in Maros, both by Palm himself and by other researchers such as HR van Heekeren and CHJ Franssen. Paintings were also found in caves including Leang Burung, Leang Jarie, Leang Lambattorang and Leang Petta Kere. “Leang” is a word in the local tongue that means “cave”.

The caves are located near to one another. Leang Petta Kere, for instance, is only 50 meters away from Leang Pettae. The two caves are now part of the Leang-leang Prehistoric Park managed by the South Sulawesi Cultural Heritage Preservation Center.

Budianto said that the latest data included around 230 caves in the Maros-Pangkep karst region. Around 80 caves are known to have prehistoric paintings. Some of the caves are located within the 43,700-ha Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park.

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY

The wall of Leang Lompoa, with its stalactites and stalagmites, in Pangkep, South Sulawesi, on Sunday (5/8/2012). Many prehistoric paintings are found in cave walls in South Sulawesi.

“It remains possible that other caves are still to be discovered, as only around 10 percent of the Maros-Pangkep karst region is accessible,” Budianto said.

Regarding the many potential caves to be researched, Makassar Archeology Center head Irfan Mahmud said that the center would soon establish zones in the karst region. This is to ensure that all the caves can be included in the database, which can be used by the regency administration to facilitate region utilization.

“Currently, there are overlaps between business interests, especially mining, and conservation and tourism. We have faced mining businesspeople several times when their mining licenses include areas within the conservation zone. This is why there has to be zonation,” Irfan said.

With a research-based zonation regulation, there will also be conservation areas designation as prehistoric caves. Other parts can be developed for business. Research is also aimed at producing a more comprehensive karst region map.

(Reny Sri Ayu, Mohamad Final Daeng)

• Part 2: The Oldest Painting in the World
• Part 3: Magic Hands
• Part 4: Tracking Down the Artist