Ambon, Maluku, (ANTARA News)- The North Maluku Cultural Heritage Preservation Office (BPCB) will collect data on prehistoric cave paintings existing in 36 caves on Kisar Island, Southwest Maluku District, Maluku Province, on Nov 14-28, 2018.

The data collection was crucial for preservation of the prehistoric cave wall paintings, Muhammad Husni, head of the North Maluku BPCB, told Antara via a phone call on Monday.

At least 36 cave paintings were discovered in 36 caves, out of a total of 86 caves surveyed by a joint team comprising archeologists of the University of Gadjah Mada, the University of Australia and the Maluku Archeology Office, from May to October 2015.

Several archeologists had studied further prehistoric paintings existing on the walls of Jawalang cave, Intutun cave, Here Sorot Entapa cave, and Lene Hena cave.

Among motifs of the cave paintings are hands, anthropomorphic, stars, geometries, boats, and abstract.

The data collection will use two methods, namely verbal and pictorial ones.

Kisar, which is part of southeastern Wallacea region, has interesting geological and archeological potentials.

As one of Indonesia`s outermost island, Kisar shares marine border with Timor Leste.

Located between Wetar and Timor Islands, Kisar covers a total area measuring 117.07 km2, which is lowland, a little bit hilly and arid.

Reporting by Shariva Alaidrus
(f001)

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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