Inhabited since the Valley of the Golden Age megalithic

Indonesia - The valleys that lies along the Bukit Barisan has long been known for its fertility. The valley is continued, as if making a line connecting the island of Sumatra split lengthwise.Starting from the Valley Semangko in Lampung, connect to the Suoh, Kepahiang, Ketahun, Kerinci, Muaralabuh, Singkarak, Maninjau, Rokan Left, Batang Gadis, Angkola, Alas, Tangse, Seulimeum, to Banda Aceh.Surrounded by old volcanoes, 11 of which are still active, these valleys are where the rich volcanic ash mengendapnya nutrients. Water is abundant and the most unstoppable in the basin formed by the movement of soil or because of an ancient volcanic eruption.These lakes were created; Suoh and five lakes in the Lake Ranau (Lampung), Lake Kerinci (Jambi), Lake Singkarak, Above Lake, and Lake Under (West Sumatera), Lake Toba (North Sumatra), and Lake Sea Fresh (Aceh ).Rows of the valley is also rich in natural hot springs and geothermal energy store. Based on research results Junghun F (1854), the USGS said, at least there are 23 hot springs along the valley of Bukit Barisan which could potentially generate geothermal energy. Survey conducted by Geothermal Energy New Zealand Ltd in 1986 even find 37 hot springs.Not only that. Coincides with a row of the valley, snaking "gold belt" which exalt the Svarnadwipa Sumatra. From the Sanskrit word that means "Island of Gold" as stated in the Nalanda inscription carved in 860 AD.William Marsden, in his book, History of Sumatra (1783), mentions, Sumatra, once thought to be Ophir, where the fleet of Solomon (Sulaiman) takes charge of gold and ivory. Although allegations of Ophir by Marsden unfounded, the island is indeed matchless gold producer.These precious metals, mainly found in the center of the island along the Bukit Barisan as the Martabe, Bangko, Rawas, Lebong, and Christmas. Minangkabau regarded as the richest region so that the Dutch are many established lodges in Padang.According to Marsden, in the Minangkabau region alone there were not less than 1,200 gold mine site."A total of 399 600 283 000-gram gram per year stored in Padang, on the open market or in private hands. Meanwhile, approximately 28,000 grams Nalabu marketed, in Natal approximately 23 000 g, and at 17 000 g Mukomuko," Marsden wrote.TM Van Leuwen give more complete picture about the production of precious metals from Sumatra. Writing in the Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 50th edition, 1994, he estimates, the total gold dredged from Sumatra since the exploration of the Netherlands until 1994, reaching as much as 91 tons and 937 tons of silver.Long before the Dutch came from Sumatra and gold dredge, gold trade of the island is of long standing. Barus in the book A Thousand Years Ago (2003), Marie-France Dupoizat and Daniel Perret said the rover Tome Pires at the beginning of the 16th century noted that gold is traded at all ports in Sumatra, especially in Barus.The old port on the west coast of North Sumatra has been mentioned in the work of Ptolemy, Geographia, written in the 2nd century AD.Besides looking for camphor, the merchants of various countries are also chasing a lot of gold traded in the harbor this native. Precious metal is thought to be brought from the rivers that disgorge around the Bukit Barisan.With all the abundance of life, no wonder that these valleys have long attracted people to settle there. Traces of large stones or megalithic culture are widely scattered along the valley is a proof that early humans had settled there.Archaeologists from the Archaeological Institute of Palembang, Tri Marhaeni S Budisantosa, said the findings on the island of Sumatra megalithic mostly scattered in the valleys along the Bukit Barisan, ranging from Liwa in Lampung until around Kerinci in Jambi."For example, megalithic in Kerinci and Merangin parallel to the Bukit Barisan found along 80 km," he said.In the region have been found 21 megalithic cylindrical, and spherical single megalithic. In addition, also found the tomb complex of six jars. "They chose this area, mainly because the soil was fertile, suitable for farming."The amount of rock andesite, volcanic rock types, which is the raw material megalithic, contributed to the flourishing of this old culture around the Kerinci valley and Merangin. In addition, a plateau surrounded by hills is also very suitable for developing their belief systems. Proponents believe this megalithic culture, the high mountains is where the ancestors dwell.Budi Wiyana, colleagues at the Institute for Archaeology Budi Palembang, also cited the same reason by the discovery of the distribution of megalithic sites in Lahat and Pagar Alam, South Sumatra."Human beings inhabit this area as fertile, and other practical reasons as close to water sources and raw materials abundant igneous rock andesite," said Budi Wiyana.According to Budi, megalithic tradition found in this region is very comprehensive, ranging from the dolmen, menhir, statues, statue menhirs, terraces, a stone mortar, stone dakon, and flat stones. This megalithic relics prove that the area had been inhabited by humans since at least 2500 years before Christ.That afternoon, Budi shows a row of large stones shaped table (dolmen) is lying in the verdant rice fields in Tegurwangi, Pagar Alam. Nearby, there are four large stones, each carved mengggambarkan middle man riding an elephant.In addition to demonstrating the progress of culture then, be the ability to tame elephants, carved stone also proved that people are familiar with that era of metal casting. "To make the carvings in the stone, almost certainly using a metal," said Budi.Giant stones were also found in the lush coffee plantations owned by Robinson (64) in the village of Tanjung Batu, Keca Tanjung Sakti, Lahat regency. Dolmen stones measuring about 2 meters long and 1 meter wide was superimposed on the small stones in the four corners.Pajarbulan Village, Subdistrict Tanjung Sakti, Lahat regency, megalithic relics discovered in the backyard of the house residents. These rocks are commonly referred to as the stone pillars six residents. Archaeologists call it rock tetralit.Tetralit usefulness is still being debated by experts. "Some experts argue, is the foundation or base with tetralit pole home," said Budi. This opinion arose because at the top of the stone pillar there is a kind of overdraft is expected to put a pole house