Gunung Padang, located on the top of an extinct volcano in West Java in Indonesia, has captured the attention of archaeologists and history enthusiasts with its unusual features and mysterious origin. Some theories claim that it is an ancient pyramid built by a civilization that disappeared thousands of years before the Egyptian pyramids. However, the evidence supporting this hypothesis is very fragile and remains controversial. The name Gunung Padang, which means “mountain of enlightenment” in the local language, evokes a mystical charm, accentuated by the vaguely pyramidal shape of the site, covered by dense vegetation. Upon approaching, one observes a series of terraces composed of hundreds of columnar volcanic rocks that give the structure a majestic and ancient appearance.
Studies by the Indonesian National Archaeological Institute have revealed that the site has been frequented and used by humans for thousands of years, as evidenced by ceramic fragments dated between 45 BC and 22 AD.
But the idea that the entire mountain was artificially constructed by an advanced prehistoric civilization remains highly speculative. In October 2023, a group of archaeologists published a study in Archaeological Prospection claiming that Gunung Padang is an ancient pyramid, built at least 9,000 years ago, with some parts dating back even 25,000 years.
The researchers claimed to have identified hidden chambers within the structure, a hypothesis that immediately sparked heated debates.
The study challenged the widespread academic belief that advanced construction techniques developed only during the early Holocene or the beginning of the Neolithic, with the advent of agriculture around 11,000 years ago. Despite the media interest it generated, this study was not well received by the academic community, and in March 2024 the journal retracted the publication. Criticisms from experts in geophysics, archaeology, and radiocarbon dating highlighted significant methodological errors. The main issue concerned the dating of soil samples, presented as evidence of human construction, which instead reflected natural geological processes. Furthermore, the composition of the surface rocks was similar to the buried bedrock, suggesting that the visible formations were likely the result of volcanic activity rather than human intervention.
This would indicate that the structure of Gunung Padang might be primarily a product of nature and not an artificial construction. One of the main obstacles in the research at Gunung Padang is its tropical environment, characterized by heavy rains and a warm climate, ideal for mold growth and decomposition, factors that further complicate excavations and the distinction between natural formations and human interventions. Gunung Padang continues to be a site of great interest for archaeologists and certainly deserves further investigation.
However, theories that consider it a pyramid built by an advanced civilization in remote epochs must be treated with caution and based on solid evidence to avoid hasty conclusions that could distort the understanding of human history.
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