Leang Bulu Betu, a rock shelter located in the Maros Pankep karst region of Sulawesi, Indonesia, has become a pivotal site for paleoanthropological research. Scholars have uncovered one of the most thorough records of early human habitation in Wallasia, which serves as a critical junction between Asia and Australia. This groundbreaking discovery highlights the timeline of Homo sapiens, revealing their adaptation and existence tens of thousands of years ago, alongside ancient human species.
Leang Bulu Bettue in the Maros Pankep karst region of South Sulawesi. Image credit: Burhan et al., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0337993.
At Leang Bulu Betu, Basran Burhan and his team from Griffith University have uncovered a wealth of artifacts, stone tools, and animal remains dating back to the Pleistocene era.
Burhan stated, “The depth and continuity of cultural sequences at Leang Bulu Bettue now position this cave as a key site for exploring potential overlaps between different hominin lineages.”
The initial stages of occupation date back approximately 208,000 years and are defined by simple stone tools and evidence of animal slaughter.
Among the significant artifacts are strong stone tools referred to as picks, indicating that archaic human cultural practices predated the arrival of modern humans.
Professor Adam Blum from Griffith University remarked, “These findings suggest an archaic human cultural tradition that persisted into the late Pleistocene in Sulawesi.”
Archaeological evidence indicates a notable transformation around 40,000 years ago, showing advancements in stone technology and the emergence of symbolic behavior, which are closely associated with Homo sapiens.
Burhan noted, “This later phase was marked by a unique technological toolkit and the earliest evidence of artistic expression and symbolic behavior on the island.”
Sulawesi plays a critical role in the narrative of human evolution due to its geographic location between the continents of Asia and Sahul, which once linked Australia and New Guinea, making it a vital conduit for early human migration.
Despite this significance, the area’s dense forests and complex terrains have resulted in a surprisingly minimal archaeological record to date.
This new research raises intriguing possibilities about the coexistence of Homo sapiens with their extinct relatives on Sulawesi.
The researchers propose that Leang Bulu Bettue could provide the first tangible archaeological evidence of this chronological overlap and potential interactions.
The later layers reveal signs of symbolic and cultural behaviors, echoing discoveries at other ancient Sulawesi sites known for rock art and advanced tools.
These advancements were initially thought to be exclusive to Homo sapiens, suggesting that the arrival of modern humans brought not only technological innovations but also new cognitive and cultural practices.
Professor Blum expressed, “Archaeological research on Sulawesi is particularly compelling because, unlike Australia, which shows no evidence of human habitation prior to our species’ arrival, Sulawesi was inhabited by various hominins for a million years before our emergence.”
“If we dig deep enough, we may find evidence of interactions between these different human species.”
Burhan stated, “There may be several more meters of archaeological layers beneath the deepest level we have explored at Leang Bulu Bettue.”
“Further investigations at this site could yield groundbreaking discoveries that reshape our understanding of early human history on Sulawesi and beyond.”
The findings were published in December 2025 in the journal PLoS ONE.
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B. Burhan et al. 2025. A near-continuous archaeological record of Pleistocene human occupation discovered at Leang Bulu Bettue, Sulawesi, Indonesia. PLoS ONE 20 (12): e0337993; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0337993
Source: www.sci.news
