The Oldest Rock Art in the World
Ranked by the earliest securely dated art at each site. Cueva de Maltravieso leads at ~66,700 yrs — older than any cave painting in France or Spain that most people have heard of.
What "oldest" means here
Rock art is dated indirectly: by uranium-series on the calcite crusts that grew over a painting, by radiocarbon on charcoal pigment, or by the archaeological layers burying an engraved panel. Each method brackets the art rather than pinning it, and results are revised as techniques improve. The ages below are the oldest well-supported dates published for each site — where a site has a range, the ranking uses its oldest end.
The 25 oldest sites
- 1Cueva de MaltraviesoSpain · Replica~66,700 yrs
- 2Cueva de ArdalesSpain · Open~65,000 yrs
- 3Leang KarampuangIndonesia · Closed~51,200 yrs
- 4Leang Bulu' Sipong 4Indonesia · Closed~43,900 - 50,200 yrs
- 5Leang TedongngeIndonesia · Closed~45,500 yrs
- 6Cave of NerjaSpain · Open~42,000 yrs
- 7Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape ✦Azerbaijan · OpenUp to 42,000 yrs
- 8Cueva de El Castillo ✦Spain · Open~40,800 yrs
- 9Lubang Jeriji SaléhIndonesia · Closed~40,000 yrs
- 10Maros-PangkepIndonesia · Open~40,000 yrs
- 11Northern Tsenkher CaveMongolia · Open~20,000-40,000 yrs
- 12Altamira Cave ✦Spain · Replica~36,000 yrs
- 13Chauvet-Pont d'Arc ✦France · Replica~36,000 yrs
- 14Cueva de Altxerri ✦Spain · Closed~35,000 yrs
- 15Cueva de Tito Bustillo ✦Spain · Open~35,000 yrs
- 16Grotta di FumaneItaly · Open~35,000 yrs
- 17Romuald's Cave (Romualdova Pećina)Croatia · Open~17,000 - 34,000 yrs
- 18Coliboaia CaveRomania · Closed~32,000 yrs
- 19Bhimbetka Rock Shelters ✦India · Open~30,000 yrs
- 20Murujuga (Burrup Peninsula) ✦Australia · Open~30,000 yrs
- 21Grotte de Pair-non-PairFrance · Open~30,000 yrs
- 22Arcy-sur-Cure CavesFrance · Closed~28,000 yrs
- 23Nawarla GabarnmangAustralia · Closed~28,000 yrs
- 24Cosquer CaveFrance · Replica~27,000 yrs
- 25Gargas CaveFrance · Open~27,000 yrs