Recent Rock Art Research on East Seram, Maluku: A key site in the rock art of West Papua and South East Maluku

Abstract

Rock art in Indonesia has been studied since before the 20th century, with early scientific publications noting the presence of rock art sites on Seram Island, Maluku Province, particularly on the cliffs near Sawai and the Tala River. Recent archaeological surveys in East Seram and Seram Laut by a joint Indonesian-American research team have led to the discovery of a new rock art site on the coast of East Seram, painted on a cliff wall locally known as Watu Sika. The rock art at Watu Sika is similar to that found at other sites in Eastern Indonesia, typically painted on coastal karst cliffs. This study employed both verbal and pictorial recording methods, using the DStretch application to enhance image clarity for better identification. The research analyzed both figurative and non-figurative motifs found at the Watu Sika site, including human figures, animals, fish, boats, negative hand stencils, and geometric patterns. It also explored the social context behind the rock art traditions in the surrounding areas, particularly within the Banda Sea region. Based on the distribution network of rock art across eastern Indonesia, the interim findings suggest that the Watu Sika site plays a key role in connecting the rock art diffusion routes from the western part of the region into two main corridors: a northeastern route leading to Papua and a southern route extending to the islands around the Banda Sea.