TEMPO.CO, Bandung - The discovery of two new human bones that is predicted to be from the ancient times at Pawon Cave or locally known as Goa Pawon did not cause the site to be shut down for tourists. Visitors are even given access to observe the findings from a close range.
“We’re also educating the public,” said the Main Researcher at Bandung Archeology Center, Lutfi Yondri, on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.
The two human fossils were discovered in two separate locations by a research team from the Bandung Archeology Center on Monday and Tuesday, March 20-21, 2017. The age of the prehistoric humans have yet to be determined but Lutfi suspects that the skeletons could possibly be more than 9,500 years old. His prediction is based on ancient human bones found earlier at Goa Pawon.
The team continues to take extra caution in order to meticulously clean the skeletons, considering their very brittle condition. The team has been doing the search since March 15, 2017, Lutfi says. Local people also participate in guarding the discovery.
Lutfi hopes that a replica of the fossils could be made before disintegrate.
Since it was revealed in 2000 by a Bandung Basin Research group, the Bandung Archeology Center have discovered three individual bones of ancient humans at Goa Pawon. The science studies showed that they were each aged 5,600, 7,300, and 9,500 years old.
ANWAR SISWADI
