Located in the Sulawesi region of central Indonesia, Lore Lindu National Park is known as the Bada Valley or Napu Valley. There are hundreds of mysterious megalithic structures in the park that date back to the 14th century. These megaliths are called “watu” or “stone” in local Bada languages. These megaliths, whose purpose and builders are unknown, are of archaeological and historical importance. Megaliths, about which little is known, are considered mysterious structures. There are many legends and superstitions that local people believe about these statues. These include the belief that statues can move or are considered people turned into stone.
Lore Lindu National Park contains more than 400 granite megaliths. About 30 of these represent human forms. Megaliths range in size from a few centimeters to about 4.5 meters. Among the megaliths in the region, there are large stone pots with stone lids. megaliths; Napu is located in the Behoa and Bada valleys. Various archaeological studies have dated the megaliths between 3000 BC and 1300 AD. Part of what makes the megaliths interesting is that the type of rock used to build them is not found anywhere near the site. Therefore, researchers do not have clear information about when, by whom and why it was done.
A guide is required to visit the megaliths on the island of Sulawesi. Because there are no indications about the location of the megaliths and they are located far from each other. The area is quite beautiful, surrounded by natural areas and there are only small villages around. Megaliths are usually located in the middle of the fields. Therefore, visitors may have to pass through wet rice fields.
Discovery and Characteristics of the Sculptures
Megaliths in the Bada Valley were discovered in 1908. Little is known about the stone sculptures, although research has continued for over 100 years when the discovery took place. There are differences of opinion as to who made it and when. Some believe the stones were carved about 5,000 years ago, while others think the megaliths were made about 2,000 years ago. Also, some people think that the stones are related to the megalithic culture in Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia.
There are different theories about the construction of megaliths. One of these; that the works were built for a reasonable reason, that is, there may be monuments in settlements and ceremonial areas. The other is; that the artifacts were made on the basis of a more speculative reason, that is, it was not possible to make them with a primitive technology and may have been made by aliens. Although such theories cannot be proven scientifically, there are those who accept the existence of some unknowns in history and archeology. However, few scientists take such theories seriously. More realistic explanations are often sought that can be explained by archaeological and historical data.
400 of the megalithic artefacts in Lore Lindu National Park are randomly scattered along the Napu, Besoa, and Bada valleys. These include sculptures, flattened stones with traces of cylinders and cups, and minimalist depictions of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures. The statues range in height from 2 feet to 15 feet, and none of them have legs. Most have large and oddly shaped heads, and some have abstract geometric ornaments. The sculptural style of these figures is completely unique in the world. Its closest resemblance is seen in the equally enigmatic carvings found in San Augustin, Colombia. Currently, mythological, anthropological, archaeological, ethnological or historical studies do not offer any idea about the age, origin and purpose of these statues.
Sulawesi Island
There is multidisciplinary evidence showing that human settlement in Southeast Asia is very ancient. This evidence indicates that settlement in the region dates back at least 55,000 to 65,000 years ago. Until about 15,000 years ago, sea level was lower and therefore parts of the Southeast Asian peninsula, areas now below the Java Sea, appeared to be land. This region is known as Sundaland and includes the islands of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. When this land mass became accessible to humans, land travel and sea travel became possible. It was during this period that humans first arrived on the island of Sulawesi, probably between 50,000 and 30,000 years ago.
At the end of the last Ice age, sea levels rose due to global warming and a large area was flooded. During or after this period, the island of Sulawesi was formed and the cultures that lived there became isolated from Southeast Asia. However, the arrival of Austronesian groups to the islands of southeast Asia (Eastern Indonesia) took place 4500-6300 years ago, when sea levels were equal to their current levels and ocean voyages were possible. The origin of the megaliths in Sulawesi dates back to this period.
