A revolutionary dating technique known as Helium-Diffusion Chronometry has been successfully applied to refine the timeline of rock art in the Sahyadri mountain range. Unlike traditional carbon dating, which requires organic binders, this new method measures the accumulation of helium isotopes in mineral patinas covering the pigments, allowing for absolute dating of inorganic mineral paints.
The study, published in Archaeological Science, pushes the age of certain zoomorphic petroglyphs back to 38,000 years, significantly earlier than previous estimates. This methodology offers a non-destructive path to dating ancient heritage sites globally where organic material is absent, providing a high-resolution chronology for human symbolic expression.