Archaeologists recently studied the “Gunung Padang” area, which consists of exceptional hills containing ancient stone structures on the island of West Java, Indonesia. It is an area sacred to the local people, who call this type of structure “Bunden Perundak”, meaning the Step Pyramid, after… The terraces leading to its summit.
After surveying the surface of the site, which lasted for several years, scientists presented the results of their study in a research paper published in the journal “Archeological Prospecting,” and concluded that “Gunung Padang” is a giant pyramid hidden underground, and that it is much older than Stonehenge or the pyramids of Giza, and may rival the oldest. The largest megalithic structure ever built by human hands, it was built atop an extinct volcano before the dawn of agriculture or civilization as we know it, and its interior may hide large, open rooms filled with the unknown.
27 thousand years ago
According to the report published on the Science Alert website, a comprehensive analysis of Gunung Padang – which means “Mountain of Enlightenment” in the local language – strongly indicates that an ancient civilization had meticulously carved the natural hill of lava at the heart of the pyramid-like structure long ago.
The first radiocarbon dating of the site indicates that its initial construction had begun sometime in the last ice age, that is, more than 16 thousand years before the present time, and perhaps dating back to 27 thousand years ago.
The results of the current study on Gunung Padang came after many years of careful analysis. Between 2011 and 2015, a team of archaeologists, geologists and geophysicists, led by geologist Danny Hillman Natawedgaya of Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, used a variety of techniques – such as core drilling, ground-penetrating radar and subsurface imaging – to explore the cultural heritage site.
The team discovered that Gunung Padang was built in complex and sophisticated stages, with the deepest part lying at a depth of 30 metres.
Construction in stages
As scientists point out, the main part of the structure may have been built between 25 thousand years and 14 thousand years BC, but was then abandoned for several thousand years.
Construction then began again between 7900 and 6100 BC, enlarging the pyramid’s base mound with various rock pillars and gravel soil, with some additional building work carried out between 6000 and 5500 BC. Interestingly, at this time the builders appear to have deliberately buried or built over some of the older parts of the site.
The pyramid’s final engineers worked between 2000 and 1100 BC, adding topsoil as well as the distinctive stone terraces of Bunden Berundak, which is the most visible part today.
Given the long and continuous human presence at Gunung Padang, it can be surmised that this site was of great importance, hence attracting ancient people to occupy and modify it repeatedly.
More excavations
When researchers examined the interior of the hills using seismic waves, they found evidence of hidden cavities and chambers, some up to 15 meters long with 10-meter-high ceilings.
The team now hopes to delve deeper into these areas. It then takes more excavations to understand who these prehistoric people were, and why they built the things they did, so this won’t be the last you hear about Gunung Padang.
