Painted Cave

The Painted Cave

Shortly after the Moon Cave, the plank walk emerges into daylight and a short pathway through the forest leads to the Painted Cave. This is the site where the famous Niah Cave paintings and the 'death-ships' were found. The contents of the death-ships have since been transferred to the Sarawak Museum, but the cave paintings and some of the empty death-ships can still be viewed on the wall behind the fenced-off burial site.

The paintings can be difficult to see unless you allow your eyes to become accustomed to the light. They are rendered in red hematite and cover a long narrow strip (approximately 30m) at the back of the cave wall. They portray spread-eagled human figures, probably representing warriors and hunters, some of the animals of the surrounding forest, and - most importantly longboats carrying the souls of the deceased on the dangerous journey to the land of the dead.
 

"The Longboat to Heaven" Painted Cave, Niah National Park.

"The Two Jumpers" Painted Cave, Niah National Park.

"Drowning In The Sea" in Painted Cave, Niah National Park.

"Big Sea Monster" Painted Cave in Niah National Park.

Above images from photos displayed at the Painted Cave.

"Dancing Angel in Heaven" and "Arriving Heaven" in Painted Cave, Niah National Park.

Close up view of "Dancing Angle in Heaven" and "Arriving Heaven" in Painted Cave, Niah Park.

"Dancing Angle in Heaven"
Painted 2,000 years ago in Painted Cave of Niah National Park, Borneo Island.