#all hail the warty pig

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

45,500-Year-Old Painting of a Warty Pig from the Island of Sulawesi, in Indonesia: this is one of the world's oldest examples of figurative art, and one of the earliest known depictions of an animal

This painting was found at Leang Tedongnge, which is a limestone cave located on the island of Sulawesi, in Indonesia. It was created at least 45,500 years ago, but it's still remarkably well-preserved.

Above: a close-up of the pig's face, showing a pair of "spiky" head crests and preorbital facial warts, which are characteristic features of the Sulawesi warty pig (Sus celebensis), a species that still inhabits the forests of Sulawesi

The painting was created using dark red mineral pigments; it measures 136cm long (about 4.5 feet) from tail-to-snout, and two hand stencils mark the wall just above the pig's haunches. Partial figures from at least two other pigs are visible on the wall several meters away.

Above: two additional paintings are located toward the right side of the wall, but only fragments of the pigs' faces and shoulders remain

The caves of Sulawesi contain the world's oldest known examples of figurative art (i.e. artwork that depicts real or recognizable subjects, like animals and human beings); the oldest figurative painting in the world is a 51,200-year-old depiction of a warty pig with three human-like figures, from the cave of Leang Karampuang. Unfortunately, that painting is much more faded and more badly damaged.

Above: this 51,200-year-old painting from Leang Karampuang is faded and badly damaged, but it depicts another pig interacting with several anthropomorphic figures; this is currently recognized as the world's oldest surviving example of figurative art

Warty pigs appear in over 87% of the prehistoric animal paintings that have been documented in Sulawesi. Many of the other paintings depict a small, buffalo-like creature called an anoa (Bubalus sp.), which is a type of wild bovid that is also endemic to Indonesia. Both animals can still be found on the island of Sulawesi.

Above: anoas depicted in the cave paintings of Leang Timpuseng (top) and Leang Bulu' Sipong (bottom); the painting from Leang Bulu' Sipong dates back to at least 48,000 years ago, making it the second-oldest figurative painting in the world

Archaeologists have been aware of Sulawesi's cave art since the 1950's, but dating techniques were not used on the paintings until 2014. For decades, it was assumed that the artwork was less than 10,000 years old, but when animal paintings and hand stencils from seven different caves were finally analyzed in 2014, researchers were shocked to discover that some of the artwork was created more than 39,000 years ago. Since then, archaeologists have discovered and/or dated many other cave paintings from Sulawesi (and some from the neighboring island of Borneo) that date back to between 35,000 and 51,200 years ago.

Above: the painting from Leang Tedongnge

When this particular painting was discovered in 2017, it briefly qualified as the world's oldest example of figurative art and the oldest known depiction of an animal, but it has since been surpassed by two other cave paintings from other sites in Sulawesi. This is still the third-oldest figurative painting in the world.

These discoveries firmly contradict the traditional (and deeply eurocentric) assumptions that were once made regarding the origins of artistic expression, as this article explains:

Previously, the oldest known cave art was thought to have first appeared in Europe 40,000 years ago, showcasing abstract symbols. By 35,000 years ago, the art became more sophisticated, showing horses and other animals.

These latest finds in Indonesia have challenged a long-standing belief that artistic expression – and the cognitive leap that may have accompanied it – began in Europe.

It’s now thought that the capability to create figurative art either emerged before Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa and headed for Europe and Asia more than 60,000 years ago, or that it emerged more than once as humans spread around the globe.

And this article adds:

The geographic location of the painting is significant. Although experts have long recognized that humans originated in Africa, “Europe was once thought of as a ‘finishing school’ for humanity,” says archaeologist April Nowell of the University of Victoria in Canada, because all the oldest known examples of art and other sophisticated behaviors were found there. But in reality, the pattern of discoveries just reflected the disproportionate amount of archaeological research that was being carried out in Europe, especially in France.

“This new discovery adds to an already rich record of early and varied rock art from [Indonesia and Australia] and underscores the importance of conducting research outside Europe,” Nowell says.

Unfortunately, many of the cave paintings in Sulawesi and other parts of Indonesia are now rapidly crumbling away as a result of climate change. The limestone surfaces of the cave walls are peeling away at an alarming rate, erasing large sections of the paintings in the process; in some caves, patches of artwork measuring 2-3cm wide vanish every few months.

Sources & More Info:

Science Advances: Oldest Cave Art Found in Sulawesi

CNN: A Warty Pig Painted on a Cave Wall 45,500 Years Ago is the World's Oldest Depiction of an Animal

Smithsonian Magazine: A Journey to the Oldest Cave Paintings in the World

Nature: Narrative Cave Art in Indonesia by 51,200 Years Ago

Nature: Pleistocene Cave Art from Sulawesi, Indonesia

Art Net: Archaeologists Have Discovered a Pristine 45,000-Year-Old Cave Painting of a Pig that May be the Oldest Artwork in the World

Art Net: Some of the Oldest and Most Revered Cave Paintings in the World Are Under Extreme Threat Due to Climate Change

[wdhsquad]

Episode 1: Waterdeep Wonders

"swap out one villain for another at any time" Villain: Manshoon "feel free to embellish and change what you will" "given how strictly laws are enforced in waterdeep, it's possible that the adventure could end with one or more of the characters being exiled, sentenced to several years of hard labor, imprisoned, or put to death. If that's how their adventure ends, so be it. Hopefully, your next group will fare better." Friends: Rake is friends with Jalester Silvermane Spade is friends with Meloon Wardragon Aelar is not friends with anybody. Roland is friends with threestrings Korthkepesk is friends with bonnie Aychem Houre is friends with Yagra Stonefist

The party of 6 are drinking and playing bone dice in The Big Hole. They sit around a sturdy wooden table lit by a brightly burning candle and littered with plates cleared of food and half-drained tankards. The sounds of gamblers yelling and drunken adventurers singing bawdy songs nearly drown out the off-key strumming of a young bard three tables over. Then all the noise is eclipsed by a shout: "Ya pig! Like killin' me mates, does ya?" Then a seven-foot-tall half-orc is hit by a wild, swinging punch from a male human whose shaved head is covered with eye-shaped tattoos. Four other humans stand behind him, ready to jump into the fray. The half-orc cracks her knuckles, roars, and leaps at the tattooed figure - but before any blood is drawn, a crowd of spectators clusters around the brawl. Rake turns to the group "Any o' you know them?" while Aychem practically overturns the table with a shove from his massive arm as he starts towards the fight, grimacing. Korth glances between Rake, Roland, Spade, and Aelar, who looks amused at Aychem's apparent anger, and shakes his snout slowly. Spade shrugs and watches Aychem nearly flip another table, sending two chairs flying with his legs as he reaches the back of the crowd. Roland does a visual scan of the perimeter then watches Aychem roar "OUT OF THE WAY!" (intimidation check 1+4CRITFAIL) at the exact same time, two of the four men jump in on the fray while roaring themselves. The crowd is deaf to Aychem’s bellow. Aychem begins shoving the crowd out of the way and reaches the fight.

initiatives Aychem 21 XanatharBandits 7 Krentz 2 Yagra 17 aychem sees that Yagra has Krentz pinned and attacks one of the other two bandits who are trying to pull her off him. 16+7HIT 1+5 6DMG/11HP yagra ignores the two trying to pull her off and beats on krentz 15+2HIT 3dmgKO xanatharbandits see that their leader has been knocked out and flee krentz lies unconscious

Yagra stands and dusts herself off "Thanks Aychem, but you know I had that." Aychem chuckles "I know." Yagra grins "You just can't resist a fight, can you." Aychem replies "You're welcome." And turns to head back to the group. Durnan clears the crowd away and picks up Krentz' unconscious body then looks towards the door. Waiting is the last quiverying, fearful Xanathar bandit. Durnan heads towards the door so his bar can be rid of this scum when shouts of alarm suddenly ring out. A hulking creature climbs up out of the big hole in the ground  - a monster with green warty skin, a tangled mess of wiry black hair, a long, carrot-shaped nose, and bloodshot eyes. As it bares yellow teeth and roar-howls, you see a half dozen bat-like creatures fly up behind it in pursuit. Everyone in the tavern moves away from the monster except the barkeep, who drops Krentz and runs towards the bar while watching the beast and shouting "TROOOLL!!' The party is stunned as the 9-foot tall troll before them roars away the crowd, leaving their table the closest. 3 of the batlike stirges flitter over to Aychem and Spade and attack. Initiative stirges 8 troll 13 durnan 20 rake 7 spade 17 aelar 8 roland 24 aychem 7 korth 16 Roland fires his longbow at the approaching stirges 15+6HIT 2+5 7DMG KO Durnan jets forward from behind the bar, now weilding a massive, shining greatsword and slashes at the troll 12+8HIT 11DMG 51DMG/84HP 5+8WHIFF 1+8WHIFF 2+8WHIFF Spade swings at a stirge with his hammer 6+2WHIFF Korth casts firebolt at a stirge with chaostide advantage 11+2WHIFF Troll +10hp 41DMG/84HP attacks durnan claw 4+7WHIFF claw 5+7WHIFF bite 7+7WHIFF Aelar casts magic missile at the remaining 2 stirges and the troll 3dmg/3hpKO 2dmg/2hpKO 5dmg 46DMG/84HP & stirges on the troll fly back down the big hole in the ground aychem rushes up to the troll and slashes with shortsword1 13+9HIT 4+5 9DMG 57DMG/84HP sneakattack 2DMG 57DMG/84HP and also with shortsword2 19HIT 3DMG 60DMG/84HP & rake runs up to the troll brandishing quarterstaff and attacks 5+5WHIFF and bonus action kick 5WHIFF

ROUND 2 troll 11 durnan 5 rake 6 spade 9 aelar 3 roland 12 aychem 14 korth 10 aychem swings away sword1 13HIT 3+5 8DMG 63DMG/84HP sneakattack 6DMG 69DMG/84HP sword2 19HIT 6DMG 75DMG/84HP Roland fires a longbow(18/20) at the troll 14HIT 8+5DMG KO Troll regenerates 10hp, stands up, claws durnan 8+7WHIFF claws durnan 5+7WHIFF and bites durnan 4WHIFF Korth looks worried and shouts out "did we not just kill it?" as he grips the 6 foot wooden staff with a spirat at the end and points it at the troll. Magic particle effects surge out through his arms into the staff and burst forth as he casts Chaos Bolt 8+5WHIFF wild magic surge as tides of chaos restores but *POOF* Korthkepesk turns into a potted plant. Spade looks bewildered at where Korth once stood "Wha-?" turns to the troll "Uhh." Looks back to the potted plant as he runs towards the troll and swings his hammer 14HIT 1+2 3DMG 77DMG/84HP Rake attacks with quarterstaff 16HIT 7+3 10DMG KO Durnan runs over to the nearest lantern, grabs it, runs halfway back and chucks it at the unconscious troll lying on the ground. The oil splashes across its torso. "Burn it! It's gonna come back unless we burn it!" Aelar grins "gladly" and casts burning hands downwards at the corpse. His eyes light up as the flames cackle and consume the troll, fueled by the oil.

Durnan turns to the group as Korth *POOF* becomes a silver lizardfolk sorcerer again "you fought well." Rake grins "Thanks!"

A figure approaches the party against the tide of people keeping their distance from the danger and stands before the party. He strokes his mustache, adjusts his floopy hat, and tightens his scarf. "Volothamp Geddarm, chronicler, wizard, and celebrity, at your service. I trust you've noticed the violence in our fair city these past tendays. I haven't seen so much bloodshed since my last visit to Baldur's Gate! But now I fear i have misplaced a friend amid this odious malevolence. "My friend's name is Floon Blagmaar. He's got more beauty than brains, and I worry he took a bad way home a couple nights ago and was kidnapped - or worse. If you agree to track him down with all due haste, I can offer you ten dragons apiece now, and I can give you each ten times that when you find floon. May i prevail upon you in my hour of need?" He holds out small pouches of gold. Rake answers "Sure!" glancing at the rest of the party eagerly. Aychem answers "Yeah, we'll take your gold." Spade says "We'll find your friend." "Gladly." Roland says. Aelar and Korth accept their pouches silently. Rake continues "So, got any clues as to his whereabouts? Where he was last seen or anything like that?" Volo answers "He's a handsome human male in his early thirties with wavy red-blonde hair. He was dressed in princely garb when I last saw him. Two nights ago we were drinking at the Skewered Dragon in the Dock Ward. I recommend you start there." Roland scans the perimeter for a man that matches this description. Spade pipes up "A trip! To the dock ward! Ayy!" as he begins walking merrily towards the door. Rake nods to Volo and Durnan and the party exits into the streets. They turn left out of The Big Hole and zig-zag their way southbound on Snail Street. Along the way, one of the side-streets is cordoned off by the City Watch. Lying on cobblestones are a half-dozen corpses, seemingly the victims of some terrible skirmish. Watch officers have disarmed and arrested three bloodied humans and are in the midst of questioning witnesses. One of the officers is ushering passers by "Go on, nothing to see here." The party passes quietly. As the party gets deeper into the dock ward, tall, densely packed tenements cast shadows over most of the ground. Most streetlamps are smashed. The smell of salt and poop alternate as the party walks past rows of run-down buildings. The characters turn left off Snail street and continue on fillet lane. Korth asks "It's one of these, right?" Roland answers "We're in the right general area." Aelar adds "Should be between Fillet lane and Net street, so it could be one of these or could be around the corner." The party scans the buildings, but most of them are dilapidated or utterly barren. One nearby building stands out from the others. It has a deep purple facade, and in its window hangs a stuffed beholder. Above the door hangs a sign whose elaborate letters spell out "Useless Knicknacks." The beholder catches the eye of Spade "Spooky." The party stops, intrigued by this apparently open store surrounded by a veritable sea of collapsing, abandoned architecture. They enter. A cloud of lavender-scented purple smoke trails out of the shops door as the party walks in. Every wall is painted purple, and every dusty item on the shelves is dyed violet. The hairless old gnome sitting cross-legged on the counter wears plum-colored robes. His cheeks are decorated with nine purple face-painted eyes. The gnome lowers a pipe and exhales a cloud of lavender smoke before raising his hand. "Hail and well met! Come browse the shelves of the most curious curiosity shop in the world!" "Curious indeed" mumbles Aelar. The characters begin to browse the shelves. Rake finds a petrified mouse "Gross." Spade finds a purple glove "Nice. How much for this?" The gnome responds "4 gold." Spade is taken aback. "What does it do?" The gnome pauses a moment and opens his mouth but stops himself, looks around and says "Keeps...the hands warm." Spade looks at the glove and at the shelf. "Do you have the other one?" The old gnome responds "...no." Spade looks down at the glove and then back to the shopkeep. "2 gold?" The gnome grins "2 gold." Spade purchases a purple glove and grins brightly as he dons it.  Aelar finds a purple mechanical canary inside of a lamp. He thinks to himself 'Burn it. Set it ablaze. That canary has no business being there.' He looks to his teammates, valuable meatshields, and continues walking the aisles. Roland finds a rank insignia and picks it up, admires it, and puts it back. Korth finds a tiny silver icon of a raven with purple eyes. He turns to the gnome "Does this do anything?" The gnome, getting peevish now begins "The items here are storied and decorative..." Korth puts it back, ignores the gnome, and begins heading towards the door. Aychem finds a silver skull the size of a coin. "Cool" he says, as he pockets it. Sleight of hand check 6+5 11 on DC12 SUCCESSWITHATWIST. The party leaves with the gnome yelling angrily "AND DON'T COME BACK!". Aelar mumbles "Agreed." Next Time: The Skewered Dragon