Archaeology & History

Major controversy surrounds 27,000-year-old 'pyramid' Gunung Padang

By T.K. Randall
March 29, 2024

Image: Gunung Padang
Credit: RaiyaniM / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) Gunung Padang, which is situated in West Java, Indonesia, has long remained one of the most mysterious and hotly debated sites in archaeology.

Located 885 meters above sea level, the site, which covers an extinct volcano, consists of a series of steps and terraces and is home to thousands of hexagonal stone columns that are strewn everywhere.

For years, scientists have struggled to agree on exactly how old the site is.

Back in November 2023, radiocarbon dating test results suggested that the oldest parts of the structure date back at least 16,000 years and could even date back as far as 27,000 years.

If Gunung Padang really is over 16,000 years old, then it predates the Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge and even Turkey's Gobekli Tepe - a site that had already shaken up our understanding of what our ancestors were capable of around 11,000 years ago.

Beyond that, if construction of the site dates back 27,000 years, then it completely rewrites the history books and opens up big questions about our history.Such a claim would seem to be groundbreaking - but there's a catch.

In truth, the results of this recent study are controversial to say the least.

Following a backlash from the archaeological community, the study, which had been published in the journal Archaeological Prospection, has now been retracted altogether.

The study authors have maintained that the data is accurate and that the decision to remove their work from the journal has been based on "unfounded claims raised by third parties who hold differing opinions and disbelieve in the evidence, analysis, and conclusions."

It would be no exaggeration to state that the date of Gunung Padang has been a major point of contention over the years, with experts on both sides of the debate failing to see eye to eye.

There's no doubt that the site is of archaeological importance, but whether it really was built tens of thousands of years ago is a question that's unlikely to be settled anytime soon.

Source: Popular Mechanics

Tags: Gunung Padang