When mentioning Pyramids, people immediately think of Egypt, a country rich in history and culture. The shape of the Egyptian Pyramid is believed to symbolize the primordial mound from which the Egyptians believed the Earth was created, as well as the rays of sunlight shining down. To date, scientists have identified 138 Pyramids in Egypt.
However, few are aware that there is a remarkably special Pyramid in Southeast Asia. It is even considered the oldest Pyramid on Earth, which archaeologists have yet to precisely date.
The Gunung Padang site was first discovered in 1914.
According to geologist Dr. Danny Hilman, an area in West Java (Indonesia) requires much more attention because it houses an ancient temple built between approximately 9,000 and 20,000 years ago. This is Gunung Padang – evidence that a very large civilization formed long ago but has never been properly acknowledged in current research.
Video Exploring the Gunung Padang Site in Java
Gunung Padang, meaning “Mountain of Light”, was first reported in 1914, nestled among volcanoes, banana forests, and tea gardens, at an elevation of 2,903 feet (approximately 886 meters) above sea level and about 75 miles (approximately 120 km) south of Jakarta. Researchers believe that Gunung Padang is the last Pyramid in Southeast Asia, and they speculate that beneath the raised ground lie numerous rooms, chambers, overgrown areas, walls, and surroundings cloaked in dense vegetation that has developed over centuries.
The steps are surrounded by stone walls, consisting of 400 steps and approximately 311 feet (around 95 meters) high.
A simulation drawing of the Gunung Padang site.
The World’s Oldest Pyramid
The structure beneath the hill appears to be monumental. Researchers estimate that it is three times larger than the famous Borobudur temple complex in Java. However, its purpose remains a mystery, as does the existence of a tomb within.
What confounds scientists the most is the complexity of the Pyramid. It is believed that this site was inhabited and reconstructed multiple times, as evidenced by its unique structural layers.
To date, official documentation about Gunung Padang remains quite limited and unclear.
The layer just beneath the grassy surface of the hill seems to have been constructed by a tribe that inhabited the area around 600 BC. However, they were not the first people in this location.
The deeper the drilling goes, the more baffling this mystery becomes. Initially, Gunung Padang was dated to be at least 5,000 years old, then 10,000 years, and finally 20,000 years old.
According to Live Science, the “heart” of the Pyramid, the deepest layer, appears to have been built long ago, with the oldest parts dating back to around 25,000 BC.
If the carbon dating of this deepest section is accurate, then Gunung Padang not only “outranks” the Pyramids of Egypt in terms of age but also predates the first recognized civilization in Mesopotamia.
To date, official documentation about Gunung Padang remains quite limited and unclear. If this structure is excavated, scientists may need to rewrite history for the prehistoric period, shedding light on an incredibly advanced yet mysterious ancient civilization.
