Indonesia's 25,000-Year-Old 'Pyramid' Gunung Padang Thought to Be of Non-Human Origin

Gunung Padang — Nature's Wonder?

Indonesia's Gunung Padang. which translates to "Mountain of Enlightenment," has become a topic of debate amongst archeologists.

In a study published in Archaeological Prospection, a team of researchers claimed that a structure in Gunung Padang came into being 25,000 years ago, and was built by humans, IFL Science reported. If true, this assertion implies that humans had developed tools and skills to build immaculate structures even before the advent of agriculture.

Other archaeologists have since, argued against the conclusions drawn by the study and claimed that many features associated with the pyramid indicate that it was a result of natural processes. 

Older Than World's Oldest Pyramids

As per the study led by Danny Hilman Natawidjaja of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, a structure in Gunung Padang was "meticulously sculpted" into its current form somewhere between 25,000 and 14,000 years ago. This finding implies that the structure is older than the 'world's oldest pyramids,' IFL Science reported. According to the team associated with the study, their findings "suggest that advanced construction practices were already present when agriculture had, perhaps, not yet been invented." The team also claimed that the structure had multiple cavities and chambers and had been buried several times  "possibly to conceal its true identity for preservation purposes." The study cited a dagger-shaped stone the team found on the site as proof of human activities in the structure. The study also showed results of carbon dating on soil in the area, which revealed that the oldest part of the "construction" dated back 27,000 years.

No Masonry Evidence

Lutfi Yondri, an archaeologist at BRIN in Bandung, Indonesia does not believe the conclusions presented by the study, Nature reported. Yondri cites his analysis of the area as a reason to defy the claims. According to his examination of the area, humans did live around and in Gunung Padang between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago, but there is no evidence of them having any of the "masonry" abilities that their ancestors reportedly put to use in making the structure. 

Not Created by Humans

Flint Dibble, an archaeologist at Cardiff University claimed that the study's evidence was insufficient to prove that humans created the buried layers in Gunung Padang, Nature reported. He added that the structure might be a result of material rolling down a hill and reorienting itself. Dibble claims that in the whole structure, there is no evidence of "working or anything to indicate that it’s man-made." The dagger-shaped stone put forward by the study has no signs of being used by humans to work, according to researchers, IFL Science reported. Archaeologists have also claimed that even if the results of carbon dating are accurate, the soil has no signs of human activity like bone fragments or charcoal.

Gunung Padang Is Open for Researchers

Natawidjaja invited other researchers to collaborate with them or conduct independent studies on Gunung Padang, Indy100 reported. He said, "We are really open to researchers around the world who would like to come to Indonesia and do some research program on Gunung Padang." The co-editor of "Archaeological Prospection" stated that the journal has launched an investigation into the findings of Gunung Padang put forward by the study.