Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
The Guinness World Record has officially recognized the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built in Egypt around 2630 BC, as the oldest pyramid in the world. However, a recent paper published in October presents an intriguing theory: it suggests that a layer of the Gunung Padang pyramid, located in Indonesia, could have been erected approximately 25,000 years ago.
This discovery has sparked intense debate, as there are doubts about whether this structure was actually created by human hands.
The research led by Danny Hilman Natawidjaja of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences and published in the journal Archaeological Prospection, reveals significant findings about Gunung Padang. The researchers claim that the core of this pyramid is composed of andesite lava, sculpted with meticulous precision.
The oldest component of the pyramid, according to the scholars, would have started as a natural lava hill, which was later worked and transformed into an architectural construction.
The study highlights “sophisticated” masonry techniques dating back to the last Ice Age, challenging conventional beliefs about the development of human civilization. Rather than emerging with the development of agriculture around 11,000 years ago, the scientists suggest, based on these findings, that advanced construction techniques may have existed much earlier than previously thought.
“Evidence from Gunung Padang and other sites, such as Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, suggests that advanced construction practices were already existed, even when agriculture may not have yet developed,” the researchers argue.
Some scholars also argue that the builders must have possessed remarkable masonry skills. However, one UK archaeologist has questioned this approach and expressed surprise that the paper was published “as is.” (Text and Photo: Cubadebate)
