The World's Most Fascinating Cave Paintings: A Journey Through Time
- Ian
- Aug 26
- 11 min read
Updated: Sep 18
As part of our visit to Bordeaux this summer we had planned a visit to the Lascaux caves (seen above) as it was on our bucket list. I'd not heard much about it to bo honest and it was my wife who insisted that we visit it and I am so glad we did.
I'd seen some old rock paintings such as the Agawa Rock Pictographs in Ontario which date back potentially a couple thousand years. I've also participated in an Archeological dig at an old Squamish village site that was maybe 8 thousand years ago. On the same trip I visited the wood carvings at SGang Gwaay located on Haida Gwaii as well.
Nothing I'd seen compared to what I encountered at the Lascaux caves. The paintings I saw (albeit an exact replica of the actual caves) were absolutely amazing and predated anything I'd seen before. It got me wondering what other prehistoric art might be found throughout the world.
Cave paintings represent humanity's first artistic endeavors, offering profound windows into the minds and lives of our ancient ancestors. These remarkable underground galleries span tens of thousands of years and stretch across continents, each telling unique stories of human creativity, survival, and spiritual expression. I decided to dig up information on the ten best known sites to view this remarkable human achievement and have listed some of them here in order from oldest (currently) known to the most recent, which just happened to be the Lascaux caves.
1. Maltravieso Cave, Spain (64,000+ years ago)
The oldest known cave painting is a red hand stencil in Maltravieso cave, Cáceres, Spain. It has been dated using the uranium-thorium method to older than 64,000 years and was made by a Neanderthal. This discovery revolutionized our understanding of artistic capability, proving that art creation was not exclusive to Homo sapiens.
The simple yet profound red hand stencil was created using iron oxide pigments. Neanderthal artists placed their hands against the cave wall and blew pigment around them, creating negative handprints that have endured for over 60 millennia. The technique demonstrates sophisticated understanding of color application and symbolic thinking.
Located in the Extremadura region of western Spain, Maltravieso offers visitors insight into our Neanderthal cousins' cognitive abilities and their capacity for symbolic expression—a trait once thought unique to modern humans.
2. Leang Karampuang, Indonesia (51,200+ years ago)
Deep in the limestone karsts of Sulawesi, Indonesia, lies the world's oldest known narrative cave art. At Leang Karampuang, archaeologists have discovered paintings depicting human-like figures interacting with a wild pig, dated to at least 51,200 years ago using laser-ablation uranium-series imaging. This narrative composition shows three small human-bird hybrids surrounding a massive wild pig, which they were probably hunting.
The ancient artists used red ochre pigments, creating images that measure approximately 36 by 15 inches (91 by 38 cm). The prominent portrayal of therianthropic figures (composite human-animal beings) implies that the artwork reflects imaginative storytelling, possibly depicting myths or hunting narratives. The preservation of these paintings is remarkable due to Sulawesi's unique climate and topography, where calcite deposits have protected the artwork for millennia.
For travelers, Sulawesi's Maros-Pangkep region offers a rare glimpse into humanity's earliest storytelling traditions. Among the hundreds of caves on Sulawesi are some of the world's oldest cave paintings, with the unique preservation capabilities lying in the island's weather and topography.
3. Lubang Jeriji Saléh, Borneo (40,000-52,000 years ago)
In November 2018, scientists reported the discovery of the oldest known figurative art painting, over 40,000 (perhaps as old as 52,000) years old, of an unknown animal, in the cave of Lubang Jeriji Saléh on the Indonesian island of Borneo. The reddish image depicts a healthy-looking but thin-legged mammal, possibly a species of cattle that can still be found living on the island, with a streak of ochre resembling a spear dangling from its side.
The animal painting is part of a trio of large mammals adorning the cave wall, surrounded by hundreds of hand stencils—the tell-tale calling cards of prehistoric artists. Thousands of paintings have been discovered in limestone caves in the region and have been analyzed and studied since their discovery in 1994 by the French explorer Luc-Henri Fage.
The red ochre pigments used in these paintings demonstrate sophisticated color preparation techniques. The fractured and faded appearance of the artwork speaks to its incredible age while highlighting the challenges of preservation in tropical climates.
4. Maros Caves, Sulawesi, Indonesia (39,900+ years ago)
The caves in Sulawesi's Maros district in Indonesia are renowned for the thousands of handprints on their walls. In 2014, a study based on uranium-thorium dating placed the handprints at a minimum age of 39,900 years. Another recent discovery of a babirusa painting within the caves was also dated to at least 35,000 BC.
The Maros caves contain approximately 1,500 negative handprints alongside figurative paintings of Sulawesi's endemic fauna, particularly the distinctive pig-deer (babirusa). The artists used red and dark mulberry-colored pigments, likely derived from iron oxides and other mineral sources. These caves demonstrate remarkable artistic continuity, with paintings spanning thousands of years.
The discovery of prehistoric art on the island of Sulawesi significantly extends the geographical placement of the world's first cave artists, who were long believed to have emerged in prehistoric Europe. The tropical setting provides a stark contrast to the European cave art tradition, proving that artistic expression emerged independently across different environments and cultures.
5. Chauvet Cave, France (37,000-28,000 years ago)
The World Heritage site of Chauvet Cave in southern France is famous for having some of the world's oldest cave paintings. The Aurignacian people, among the first Homo sapiens to live in Europe, brought to the cave a fully formed artistic tradition that used a variety of techniques involving charcoal and a type of red pigment. Humans used the cave from 37,000 to 33,500 years ago and again from 31,000 to 28,000 years ago.
The more than 1,000 paintings of predators like lions and mammoths are unmatched in their sophistication. The artists depicted cave lions, woolly rhinoceroses, cave bears, and mammoths with remarkable skill, using the natural contours of the cave walls to create three-dimensional effects. The paintings employ both red ochre and charcoal, with techniques including finger painting, spraying, and brush application.
What sets Chauvet apart is its focus on dangerous predators rather than prey animals, suggesting possible spiritual or ceremonial significance. The sophistication of the artwork challenged earlier assumptions about the linear progression of artistic development, proving that the earliest European artists possessed fully developed artistic capabilities.
Located in the Ardèche region of southeastern France, the original cave is closed to public visitation due to conservation concerns, but a remarkable replica, Chauvet 2, allows visitors to experience these masterpieces.
6. Nawarla Gabarnmang, Australia (28,000 years ago)
The massive rock shelter lies on the territory belonging to the Buyhmi clan. A highly respected Aboriginal elder named Bardayal "Lofty" Nadjamerrek from Arnhem Land titled the site Nawarla Gabarnmang, which means "place of hole in the rock" in the Jawoyn language. The artworks have been mapped and carbon-dated since 2006 and have been confirmed to be the oldest in Australia.
This spectacular Aboriginal rock art site contains over 1,000 paintings spanning thousands of years of continuous cultural expression. The artwork includes X-ray style paintings showing the internal organs of animals, geometric patterns, and human figures. Artists used ochre pigments in red, yellow, and white, along with charcoal for black pigments.
The paintings reflect the deep spiritual connection between Aboriginal peoples and their landscape, featuring ancestral beings, creation stories, and Dreamtime narratives. The site demonstrates one of the world's longest continuous artistic traditions, with paintings created across multiple generations and cultural periods.
Located on the Arnhem Land plateau in Northern Territory, the site offers insight into one of humanity's oldest continuous cultures and their sophisticated understanding of their environment.
7. Apollo 11 Cave, Namibia (27,500-25,500 years ago)
The Apollo 11 Cave lies about 160 miles (250 kilometers) southwest of the town of Keetmanshoop in southwestern Namibia. The cave housed several of the oldest portable artworks in southern Africa, carbon-dated between 27,500 and 25,500 years old.
Named by German archaeologist Wolfgang Erich Wendt after the Apollo 11 moon landing, this site is famous for seven painted stone slabs depicting animals in naturalistic style. The portable art pieces feature animals painted in black, red, and yellow pigments derived from local mineral sources. While wall paintings are thought to have been created between 10,400 and 6,200 BP, the engravings have been dated to the 1st millennium BP.
The artwork demonstrates early African artistic traditions, with animals including rhinoceros, zebra, and feline figures. The combination of portable and wall art suggests complex symbolic systems and possibly nomadic artistic practices. Until recently, they were the oldest known works of art in Africa.
This remote Namibian site offers visitors a glimpse into southern Africa's ancient artistic heritage and the earliest evidence of symbolic behavior on the continent.
8. Cosquer Cave, France (27,000-19,000 years ago)
Located beneath the Mediterranean Sea near Marseille, Cosquer Cave is unique among Paleolithic art sites due to its underwater entrance. The cave contains over 600 animal paintings and hand stencils dating from the Gravettian and Solutrean periods. Rising sea levels at the end of the last Ice Age flooded the original entrance, preserving the artwork in a remarkable time capsule.
The paintings feature horses, bison, ibex, and seals, executed in black charcoal and red ochre. Hand stencils cover the walls, some missing fingers—possibly due to ritual amputation or frostbite. The marine setting provides unique insights into coastal Paleolithic cultures and their adaptation to changing environments.
Due to its underwater accessibility requiring technical diving, the original cave is restricted to researchers. However, a replica will allow future visitors to experience this underwater Paleolithic treasure.
9. Serra da Capivara, Brazil (25,000+ years ago)
Home to one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas, the Serra da Capivara National Park is also home to some of the oldest cave paintings - not only in the Americas but in the world. With the oldest cave drawings in the park thought to be over 25,000 years old and other discoveries suggesting that the site may have been settled as early as 50,000 years ago, the Serra da Capivara has seriously shaken the traditional theory of human settlement of the Americas.
This Brazilian site challenges conventional theories about when humans first arrived in the Americas. The extensive rock art includes over 30,000 prehistoric paintings depicting hunting scenes, rituals, animals, and daily life. Artists used red ochre, white kaolin, and yellow pigments derived from local mineral sources.
The paintings show remarkable diversity in style and subject matter, including large animals, human figures in ceremonial dress, and complex geometric patterns. Some scenes appear to depict group activities, suggesting organized social structures and possibly religious ceremonies.
Located in northeastern Brazil's caatinga landscape, Serra da Capivara offers visitors insight into early American civilizations and challenges our understanding of human migration patterns.
10. Lascaux Cave, France (17,000-22,000 years ago)
Over 600 parietal wall paintings cover the interior walls and ceilings of the cave. The paintings represent primarily large animals, typical local contemporary fauna that correspond with the fossil record of the Upper Paleolithic in the area. With continued debate, the age of the paintings is now usually estimated at around 17,000 to 22,000 years (early Magdalenian).
Known as the "Sistine Chapel of Prehistory," Lascaux represents the pinnacle of Paleolithic cave art. The artists used scores of different pigments to get a range of colors. The artists used wavy black outlines to suggest an animal in motion. They ground colored earth for their rich reds and yellows, used charred bone or soot black for their dark shading and made green from manganese oxide.
The cave contains nearly 2,000 figures, which can be grouped into three main categories - animals, human figures and abstract signs. Most of the major images have been painted onto the walls using mineral pigments although some designs have also been incised into the stone. These are very hard to see with normal light but when the guide turns on a black light they are clearly visible. It was an amazing effect.
The Great Hall of the Bulls features some of the largest prehistoric animal paintings ever discovered, including a bull measuring 17 feet in length. A painting referred to as "The Crossed Bison," found in the chamber called the Nave, demonstrates a highly sophisticated form of perspective which disappeared with the Magdalenian culture and would not re-emerge until the Italian Renaissance. A close look at the rear legs of the two animals shows that one appears to be in front of the other.
The images were often painted using the structure of the cave to give it a three dimensional effect. It is remarkable to stand in the middle and look all around you, especially when the guide uses an electronic flickering torch as the sole light source. It gave the paintings a sense of motion that was stunning. It seemed as though the animals moved in a circle around you along the cave walls.
The cave paintings were sophisticated, costly, and time-consuming engineering projects planned and executed in about 18,000 BC by dedicated artists supported by a unified and stable culture. Artists used scaffolding to reach high walls and ceilings, worked by torchlight, and employed various tools including skin sponges for paint application.
Located in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, the original cave permanently closed to the public in 1963 to preserve the paintings. Unfortunately we were inadvertently damaging the paintings due to our breathing in the caves. It was causing a mold to form on the walls and there were also crystals that began to accumulate due to the moisture and carbon dioxide we injected into the system. Today, multiple high-quality replicas (Lascaux II, III, and IV) allow visitors to experience these masterpieces. You can even tour the Great Hall of the bulls on Google Earth here!
Other Notable Cave Painting Locations
The preceding list of 10 could easily be expanded to include many other places but here are a handful of other ones you could check out separately.
Altamira Cave, Spain - Cantabria, northern Spain. Famous for polychrome bison paintings on the ceiling using red, black, and violet tones, created by Magdalenian culture artists. Age: 36,000-13,000 years ago
Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, India - Madhya Pradesh, central India. Over 750 rock shelters with paintings in green, red, white, brown and black depicting animals and human figures from hunter-gatherer societies. Age: 40,000-10,000 years ago
Cueva de las Manos, Argentina - Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia. Famous for hundreds of hand stencils and hunting scenes of guanacos, created by blowing pigments through bone tubes. Age: 13,000-9,000 years ago
Laas Gaal, Somalia - Northwestern Somalia. Rock shelter complex with well-preserved paintings depicting cows in ceremonial robes accompanied by giraffes, domesticated dogs, and humans. Age: 11,000-5,000 years ago
Magura Cave, Bulgaria - Northwestern Bulgaria. Cave walls adorned with prehistoric paintings showing silhouettes of women, men hunting and dancing, animals, people wearing masks, plants, tools, and stars. Age: 8,000-4,000 years ago
Conclusion: A Timeless Journey
These ten remarkable cave painting sites represent humanity's longest artistic tradition, spanning over 50,000 years of creative expression. From Indonesia's ancient narrative scenes to France's sophisticated Paleolithic galleries, each location offers unique insights into our ancestors' lives, beliefs, and remarkable artistic capabilities.
The evolution of techniques—from simple hand stencils to complex polychrome compositions—demonstrates the development of human cognitive abilities and cultural sophistication. The universal themes of animals, hunting, spiritual beliefs, and human relationships across continents and millennia reveal fundamental aspects of human nature that transcend time and geography.
For modern travelers, these sites offer more than historical curiosity; they provide profound connections to our shared human heritage. Each painted cave wall represents a bridge across tens of thousands of years, allowing us to glimpse the hopes, fears, and creative spirits of our ancient relatives. Having experienced a taste of what some of these caves have to offer I am already planning my next trip to try and see more of this remarkable testament to the creativity of our ancestors.
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