it's uncredible how respectless tourists can be you see here is another ancient engraving but somebody just tried to paint to to engrave a figure beside it what can we do to avoid this destruction of the cultural heritage in the desert imagine a World hidden beneath the Sands Untouched by human hands for Millennia when scientists recently opened a cave in the heart part of the Egyptian Sahara that had been sealed for thousands of years they uncovered a breathtaking glimpse into a forgotten past the cave of swimmers with its mysterious Rock paintings of people swimming in what
is now one of the driest places on Earth join us as we delve into this astonishing Discovery and compare it with another ancient wonder Indonesia's Liang uen cave home to the world's oldest known hand stencil revealing secrets of Humanity's earliest artistic expressions in 1933 Hungarian Explorer llo Alm Mari stumbled upon the cave of swimmers in the remote Gil Keir plateau of the Egyptian Sahara one of the most arid and inhospitable places on Earth this region holds a small cave about the size of a onecar garage measuring approximately 10 m by 3 m despite its modest
size this cave is a window into a prehistoric era when the Sahara was a lush fertile land the cave of swimmers is renowned for its near lithic Rock paintings estimated to be around 10,000 years old these paintings created with a reddish brown pigment depict human figures in swimming postures suggesting that the area once had bodies of water the art also features Wildlife like giraffes reinforcing the idea of a once verdant environment these depictions are not just artistic Expressions they are crucial evidence of the dramatic climatic changes that have transformed the Sahara from a hospitable environment
to the arid desert we know today Alm mari's Discovery gained wider Fame through the 1996 film The English Patient which Drew inspiration from his life and Explorations now let's travel to another corner of the world to the maros panp cast region of sui Indonesia here lies Liang uen cave discovered in the 1950s but only recognized for its true significance in 2014 a team of archaeologists led by Maxim Oar Unearthed ancient rock art in this Limestone cave part of a larger complex covering an area of about 43 sound 750 hectares roughly the size of the city
of Chicago the cave itself though modest in size houses some of the oldest known figurative art in the world inside leang uang the art includes a hand stencil and a depiction of a babusa or wild pig native to sua Whi the hand stencil dated to at least 40,000 years ago was created by placing a hand against the cave wall and blowing reddish pigment over it leaving a negative image this method of creating hand stencils is found in various ancient art sites worldwide suggesting a shared cultural practice among early humans the discovery challenges previous Notions about
the origins of symbolic behavior and artistic expression indicating that these traits may have developed independently in different parts of the world or were a shared characteristic of early human populations comparing the caves made chamber to a small classroom helps put its modest size into perspective just as the vast maros panp region can be compared to the sprawling expanse of Chicago these comparisons highlight how even small unassuming spaces can hold Treasures of immense historical and cultural value the discoveries in both the cave of swimmers and leang uen underscore the potential for significant archaeological finds in unexplored
regions offering profound insights into our shared prehistoric heritage in the heart of central India lies a remarkable Discovery known as The cistina Chapel of the Ancients this cave complex part of the Bima Rock shelters in Madia Pradesh was Unearthed in 2002 by Indian archaeologist Dr a walimbe and his team the Bima shelters encompassing over 700 rock formations are a treasure Trove of prehistoric art among them the cinee Chapel of the Ancients stands out for its rich and well-preserved rock paintings SP spanning an area of about 10 km equivalent to the size of Central Park in
New York City this specific shelter is particularly notable for the intricate artwork adorning its walls and ceilings the prehistoric paintings in the cinee chapel of the Ancients date back at least 10,000 years and depict a wide array of subjects including hunting scenes dancing and religious rituals the vibrant colors red white and green are derived from natural pigments sourced from minerals and plants these paintings are remarkable for their complexity and the detailed representation of human and animal figures this site offers a comprehensive view of early human life and culture in the Indian subcontinent providing invaluable insights
into the social and spiritual lives of prehistoric communities the sophisticated nature of the art indicates a high level of cognitive and artistic development among early humans in this region just as Central Park serves as an oasis of nature within a bustling City the Bima Rock shelters Preserve ancient art and culture within Modern India on the other side of the globe in the maros panp cast region of sui Indonesia lies another archaeological Marvel leang Tim pusen cave discovered in the 1950s the cave significance came to light only in 2014 thanks to the detailed studies and dating
efforts of archaeologists led by Maximo bear leang timus is part of an extensive Limestone cave complex covering around 43,000 hectares comparable to the size of Chicago the cave itself though modest in size with its main chamber about 3 m high and 10 m wide houses some of the oldest known figurative art in the world inside leang uang the ancient art includes a hand stencil and a depiction of a babusa a pig deer native to sui the hand stencil dating back at least 40,000 years was created by blowing reddish pigment over a hand placed against the
cave wall leaving a negative ative image this technique found in various ancient sites worldwide suggests a widespread cultural practice among early humans the discovery of such Ancient Art in Liang uang has profound implications for understanding the origins of symbolic behavior and artistic expression the age of the hand stencil predates similar art found in Europe suggesting that the capacity for creating symbolic art may have developed independently in different parts of the world or was a shared trait among early human populations imagine a group of teenagers exploring the French Countryside stumbling upon one of the most significant
archaeological finds of the 20th century in 1940 four teenagers Marcel ravida jacqu maral George agel and Simon Kangas discovered the Lasco cave in Southwestern France this accidental Discovery unveiled a treasure Trove of prehistoric art catapulting Lasco into the Limelight as one of the most famous and well-preserved examples of of upper Paleolithic cave paintings the Lasco cave located near the village of monyak in the doona region is a complex network of caves extending approximately 235 m in length this network of caves is roughly equivalent to the length of two footb Fields placed end to end despite
its expansive size the cave is divided into several main sections each adorned with intricate paintings and Engravings that date back around 177,000 years the art within Lasco is breath L detailed and vibrant the Cave's walls and ceilings are covered with over 600 painted and drawn animals including horses deer orox and ibec one of the most famous sections is the Hall of the Bulls where four large Bulls dominate the scene one of them measuring over 5.2 M long larger than a modern-day SUV the skill and precision with which these figures are rendered suggest a high degree
of artistic ability and an intimate knowledge of the animals depicted in addition to the stunning animal depictions Lasco also features abstract symbols in a rare human figure which adds to the Cave's enigmatic Allure the paintings were created using mineral-based pigments such as ochre and charcoal mixed with animal fat or plant sap to help the colors adhere to the Rock surfaces the artists utilized the natural Contours of the cave walls to give a three-dimensional effect to their work demonstrating an advanced understanding of perspective and shading comparing Lasco cave C to a modern structure helps to grasp
its size and significance imagine the cave as an expansive Art Gallery akin to the lou Museum in Paris but carved into the Earth and adorned with Prehistoric masterpieces just as the Lou houses a vast collection of Arts spanning centuries Lasco encapsulates the artistic achievements of our distant ancestors offering a unique window into their world [Music]
