Earliest known drawing found on rock in South African cave

Researchers believe the pattern on the fragment of rock is 73,000 years old, but are perplexed as to what it might represent

It lacks the grace of Leonardo and has none of the warmth of Rubens, but the criss-crossed pattern on the chunk of rock is remarkable all the same. According to researchers who unearthed the piece, it is the earliest known drawing in the world.

Archaeologists found the marked stone fragment as they sifted through spear points and other material excavated at Blombos cave in South Africa. It has taken seven years of tests to conclude that a human made the lines with an ochre crayon 73,000 years ago.