TEMPO.CO, Cianjur - Chairman of the Cianjur District Legislative Council, Gatot, has issued a harsh warning against the researchers of the Gunung Padang megalithic site in Karyamukti village, West Java, saying they must not damage the ecosystem in the cultural heritage area. If the researchers ignore this warning, Gatot said he would submit a recommendation for the termination of the research project.
Head of Cianjur’s Culture and Tourism Department, Tedi Artiawan, said the Cianjur administration was never involved in this dig because the permit was issued by the central government.
"So we can’t conduct an intervention on the researchers," he said.
Head of the National Archeology Center at the Education and Culture Ministry, Bambang Sulistyanto, said the Gunung Padang is a heritage site from the Majapahit Kingdom era dating back to the 15th century.
He refuted the claims of some archeologists who believe there is a hidden pyramid under the ruins because "Indonesia has no tradition of (building) pyramids" adding that the tradition is from Egypt. Bambang said that if the structure is similar to a pyramid, it is definitely a punden berundak (a megalithic structure of stepped mounds common during the Indonesian prehistoric era) and not an actual pyramid.
Bambang said he objected to the Gunung Padang dig, which was initiated to prove whether or not there is a pyramid hidden beneath the structure. The site should instead be preserved, he added.
The Independent Integrated Research Team (TTRM) headed by Ali Akbar is investigating the Gunung Padang site. The team’s work has raised controversy and protest because some believe they will destroy the site during their research.
DEDEN ABDUL AZIZ | UKKY PRIMARTANTYO | JULI
