Figurative Human Representations in the Rock Art of Liang Kabori Karst Area, Muna Island, Indonesia

Amaluddin Sope1* and Lutfi Yondri2

The Liang Kabori Karst Area on Muna Island, Southeast Sulawesi, represents one of the most significant rock art landscapes in Island Southeast Asia, exhibiting a wide range of figurative and non-figurative motifs. Recent dating indicates visual activities in the form of hand stencils dating to at least 67,800 years ago, challenging Eurocentric models of the origins of symbolic behaviour. Despite this global significance, human figure depictions distributed across 45 sites have received comparatively little scholarly attention. These figures are identified based on anatomical attributes such as heads, torsos, arms, and legs, regardless of additional elements attached to the head, body, or hands. Here, we report a diverse spectrum of human representations, ranging from simple linear outlines to semi-naturalistic depictions that reflect aspects of the lifeways of their makers. Motifs such as human–boat figures, humans riding animals, clothed human figures with specific attributes, and human–animal relationships constitute key data for understanding the rock art tradition of Muna Island. The representation of the human body extends beyond decorative concerns, embodying symbolic expressions, social status, and collective activities within past cultural contexts.