Some researchers think Indonesian pyramid could rewrite human history, dating back to 25,000 BC

In March 2024, the journal *Archaeological Prospection* retracted a controversial paper led by Indonesian archaeologist Danny Hilman Natawidjaja, following concerns raised by experts in geophysics, archaeology, and radiocarbon dating. The study had suggested that Gunung Padang, located on an isolated hill in West Java, Indonesia, could be the world's oldest pyramidal structure, dating back to at least 9,000 years ago, with parts possibly as old as 28,000 years.

The retraction has reignited debates within the archaeological community about the true nature of Gunung Padang. Known as the largest megalithic site in Southeast Asia, Gunung Padang has been the subject of intense archaeological and geophysical investigations since 2011. Researchers used advanced techniques including electrical resistivity tomography, ground-penetrating radar, and deep drilling to explore the site. Their scans indicated the presence of hidden chambers within the mound, which lies almost 100 feet down, suggesting a ceremonial purpose, possibly as a temple or monument.

News outlets including The Express, The Sun, and IFLScience reported on the debate.

In their published article, Natawidjaja and his team claimed that Gunung Padang was artificially constructed by an advanced civilization. They wrote: "This study sheds light on advanced masonry skills dating back to the last glacial period." They also stated the finding "challenges the conventional belief that human civilization and the development of advanced construction techniques arose only with the advent of agriculture about 11,000 years ago." According to the researchers, "Evidence from Gunung Padang and other sites, such as Gobekli Tepe in Turkey, suggests that advanced construction practices were already present when agriculture may not yet have been invented." The builders of the Gunung Padang pyramid, they added, "must have possessed remarkable masonry capabilities."

The team suggested that the underground layers of Gunung Padang date from between 9,500 and 28,000 years ago, with some layers dating back 20,000 years. This dating places Gunung Padang at a time much earlier than the Egyptian pyramids, which are estimated to have originated approximately 4,500 years before our era. If confirmed, Gunung Padang would hold the title of the world's oldest pyramid, surpassing the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Egypt, built around 2630 BC.

The study has faced significant criticism from other academics. Flint Dibble, an archaeologist at Cardiff University, has been particularly vocal. "If you went to the Palace of Westminster and dropped a core 7 meters [23 feet] into the ground and pulled up a soil sample you might date it as being 40,000 years old. But that does not mean the Palace of Westminster was built 40,000 years ago by ancient humans. It just means there's carbon down there that's 40,000 years old. It is extraordinary that this paper has been published," He told the *Observer* in 2023. Dibble added that there's no evidence of "working or anything to indicate that it's man-made." He criticized the paper, saying he is "surprised [it] was published as is."

"Material rolling down a hill is going to, on average, orient itself," he stated.

Critics argue that the idea that Gunung Padang was built by a long-lost civilization is founded on extremely shaky evidence. It has been contested that the surface rocks at Gunung Padang are of a similar type and composition as the buried bedrock, suggesting a natural formation process via volcanism, which some geologists believe could be a natural result. It is well-established that volcanoes can produce peculiar geological formations like the column-like rocks at Gunung Padang. Columnar jointing is a phenomenon seen in the natural world across the planet, from the coast of the UK to Devils Tower in Wyoming.

Parts of the paper were reportedly proofread by Graham Hancock, a British writer known for espousing the unfounded idea that Earth was home to a long-lost civilization over 12,000 years ago. Hancock featured Gunung Padang in the first season of his Netflix series, which many experts have denounced as "pseudoarchaeology."

Despite the controversy, the findings at Gunung Padang have sparked interest. Archaeologists who support a human origin for the site highlight the precise alignments and the use of materials arranged with a specific technique. They claim that Gunung Padang deserves further archaeological excavations, as investigations revealed that it is a much more complex construction than initially thought. The researchers stated, "After nature began the structure, humans finished it by sculpting it and making it 'architecturally enveloped.'" The "peculiar" shape of the hill stands out from the landscape, said lead geophysicist Danny Hilman Natawidjaja.

Gunung Padang is divided into terraces composed of hundreds of pillar-like volcanic rocks. The name "Gunung Padang" translates to "Mountain of Enlightenment" in Sundanese, as the place served for religious rituals throughout history. Humans have visited and used the site for thousands of years.

Lead geophysicist Natawidjaja has responded to the criticism by saying, "We are really open to researchers around the world who would like to come to Indonesia and do some research programme on Gunung Padang." He believes that future investigations could confirm or refute this exciting finding.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq