Gunung Padang is located in Indonesia in the Indian Ocean, on the island of Java not too far from Jakarta and near the village of Karyamukti. For information about this site, and much more, we would like to thank Graham Hancock and encourage you to watch the first episode of the first season of Ancient Apocalypse broadcast on Netflix.
This site raises a disturbing question: what if an advanced civilization once thrived here in Indonesia during the Ice Age? A civilization that was lost to history until now.
Graham Hancock
The name Gunung Padang means Mountain of Light, and pilgrims purify themselves at an ancient spring at its base before ascending the hill.
We are facing one of the many places misclassified in the past by archaeologists as a mere hill, despite the presence of thousands of hexagonal stone slabs scattered all around.
Graham Hancock points out that the slow pace of archaeological investigations may be due to the fact that this type of stone, with its particular shape, can also be formed during volcanic eruptions. However, the arrangement of the stones, as well as their cuts, leave no doubt: this is a man-made structure, constructed by human hands.
A walled enclosure extends across the entire hill, within which there are rectangular chambers and mounds.
Archaeological Studies
Archaeological studies began in 2012 when Dr. Ali Akbar from the University of Indonesia concluded that the structure was around 2,500 years old. In an interview with Graham Hancock, the scholar states that there is evidence of a long period of abandonment, during which the site was forgotten. This is an important clue in the study of these subjects, as it is a recurring pattern in many places around the world.
A common and anomalous aspect: why is such an imposing site suddenly forgotten and remains forgotten for such a long time?
Researchers discovered that the stone columns come from another region—that is, each of the approximately 50,000 blocks weighing about 300 kg (about 660 lbs) was transported from a different location to the top of the hill, which rises to over 100 meters (about 328 feet) in height.
One of the surprising findings is the discovery of a cultural layer dating back to 5,200 BCE, followed by a later one dating to 500 BCE. The site was thus unvisited for almost 5,000 years.
It is interesting to note that the stones are arranged, as pointed out by geologist Dr. Danny Hilman Natawidjaja, in an unnatural manner—for example, to create terraces. There is even mortar between the stones to hold them together, which would be a particularly surprising feature if it were the work of an ancient civilization.
Details of Gunung Padang’s Cyclopean Structure: A Step Pyramid
It extends over an area of 150 m x 40 m (about 492 ft x 131 ft), along the NW-SE axis. It is built with hexagonal columns of andesite, a volcanic rock. This recalls other megalithic sites in the world (such as the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland), but here the stones appear to be worked and arranged to form retaining walls and steps.
Access is provided by 370 steps that ascend about 95 meters (about 312 feet), indicating a monumental design.
It is worth noting that the basalt used to construct the blocks is a very hard stone on the Mohs scale, ranking among the hardest stones (between 5 and 6 in hardness).
Stepped Pyramid
The reconstruction of the structure highlights a typical stepped pyramid shape. It is not a conventional pyramid in geometric terms, but it is, in the sense of a terraced structure that rises in levels toward the top.
Subsurface radar surveys at 40 MHz frequency, capable of penetrating 30 meters deep (98.4 ft)
Scientific examinations detected a void space deep within the site, with a rectangular shape, located at the center. A cavity was also found beneath one of the terraces of the structure, which connects to the first, and yet another beyond that.
In summary
- from the center of the structure, there is a rectangular-shaped cavity at a depth of 10 meters (32.8 ft)
- which leads to a larger chamber, via a corridor
- which in turn flows into a third chamber located between 20 and 30 meters deep (65.6–98.4 ft)
Other studies using core drilling
Through core drilling techniques, researchers identified structures positioned around 11,600 years ago. A date that once again brings us back to the period when, according to Plato, Atlantis would have been submerged by the waters.
Going even deeper, they uncovered a layer constructed about 24,000 years ago. Graham Hancock notes that during that time, the site was not yet located on an island. The island formed later. It’s important to note that it was not yet an island before 11,600 years ago — a recurring timeframe.