Challenging Gunung Padang as Indonesia’s Megalithic Marvel

via Discover, 29 February 2024: Gunung Padang ignites controversy with claims of being the world’s oldest pyramid, potentially dating back 27,000 years. However, skepticism from mainstream archaeologists and debates over its true age and origin ensue – see here, here and here.

Some conventional academics are chomping at the bit to refute Natawidjaja’s conclusions as ‘fantastical’ or ‘sensational’— some even calling it the “Gunung Padang hoax.”

University of Tarragona Researcher Víctor Pérez, wrote a detailed paper challenging Natawidjaja’s findings. The paper criticizes Natawidjaja’s approach, pointing out what some scientists and academics see as flaws and mistakes in both the execution and theoretical analysis of their research. Pérez argues that these issues undermine the credibility of the ancient dates suggested by Natawidjaja’s team, which he claims lack corroborating archaeological evidence.

Another opposing view comes from professor Sutikno Bronto of the Center of Geological Survey in Indonesia. He believes that Gunung Padang is the neck of a nearby volcano and not an ancient pyramid.

Sutikno argues that the findings of younger soil layers among older stones and the carbon-dated material at the site do not substantiate Natawidjaja’s claims. He suggests these are results of natural erosion, not indicators of human architectural activity.

Source: Is Gunung Padang the Oldest Pyramid in the World? | Discover Magazine