Archaeologists have revealed that an enormous pyramid hidden beneath an underground hillside in Indonesia, known as Gunung Padang, predates Egypt’s Giza Pyramids and England’s Stonehenge. This site on the island of West Java, Indonesia, is considered sacred by locals, who call it ‘punden berundak,’ signifying a stepped pyramid with terraces ascending towards its peak.
Gunung Padang, which translates to the ‘mountain of enlightenment’ in the local language, stands as the world’s oldest pyramidal structure. Its origins can be traced back to a time before the existence of organized civilizations and agricultural practices.
An extensive analysis of Gunung Padang reveals that it was meticulously crafted from the natural lava hill into a pyramid-like structure over a significant period by an ancient civilization.
Radiocarbon dating of the site suggests that the initial construction began over 27,000 years ago during the last glacial period. This conclusion is the result of years of careful analysis.
Between 2011 and 2015, a team of archaeologists, geophysicists, and geologists, led by geologist Danny Hilman Natawidjaja at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, used various techniques such as ground-penetrating radar, core drilling, and subsurface imaging to investigate Gunung Padang.
Their findings indicate that the structure was developed in complex and sophisticated stages, with its deepest part lying 30 meters underground. The core of Gunung Padang was most likely constructed between 25,000 and 14,000 BCE but was subsequently abandoned for many millennia.
The researchers emphasize the remarkable masonry skills possessed by the builders of Gunung Padang, which do not align with traditional hunter-gatherer cultures. Given the long and continuous occupation of the site, they speculate that it held significant importance, attracting ancient people who repeatedly occupied and modified it. Gunung Padang is an astonishing testament to human ingenuity and stands as one of the oldest megalithic structures ever created by humans.
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