Gunung Padang Megalithic Site construction phases dated to 16,000-27,000 years old. Unit 3 dates to 16,000-27,000 years old, making it the oldest construction phase Unit 2 dates to approximately 8,000 years old and forms the bulk of the pyramid structure Unit 1 dates to 3,000-4,000 years old and sits near the surface as a retaining wall
Researchers deployed ground-penetrating radar, electric resistivity tomography, and seismic tomography to peer beneath the surface at Gunung Padang. Seven core drillings between 15-35 meters depth confirmed four distinct stratigraphic units. Excavations revealed columnar rocks arranged in parallel patterns with deliberate mortar fillings, and XRD analysis confirmed the mortar is hydrothermally altered volcanic material, not natural weathering. A 2024 paper in Archaeological Prospection presented these findings, but was subsequently retracted, and experts have publicly dismissed the site's claimed antiquity as 'really, really weak.' The dating claims and pyramid interpretation remain controversial within the archaeological community.
Key Facts
- Unit 3 dates to 16,000-27,000 years old, making it the oldest construction phase
- Unit 2 dates to approximately 8,000 years old and forms the bulk of the pyramid structure
- Unit 1 dates to 3,000-4,000 years old and sits near the surface as a retaining wall
- Unit 4 (below 20-30m depth) is natural basaltic andesite bedrock, not man-made
- Carbon dating was conducted on both archaeological features and surrounding sedimentary layers
- The site was constructed in multiple phases separated by periods of abandonment, each followed by soil accumulation that enabled radiometric dating
Related site: Gunung Padang Megalithic Site — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Gunung Padang Is 27,000 Years Old. The Paper Was Retracted Anyway by The Cosmic Summit