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THE ANCIENT MEGALITHS OF CENTRAL SULAWESI ecently | became acquainted with the Bada Valley in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. had seen some photos from the Tropenmuseum (Museum of the Tropics) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and realised that a megalithic mystery was to be had in| a remote valley of this island in Southeast Asia. . According to its website, the Tropenmuseum is one of Europe's leading Curious stone ethnographic museums, renowned for its collections. The permanent and ° temporary exhibitions display art objects, photographs, music and films sculptures found m from non-western cultures. The permanent exhibitions include collections Central Sulawesi from Southeast Asia, Oceania, West Asia and Africa. . ) Being part of the Royal Tropical Institute, the museum is more than just a Indonesia, could be museum. Experts assist museums around the world in capacity-building and other activities; for example, collecting and preserving local cultural as much as 5,000 heritage. Other activities of the museum include promoting innovative years old and have initiatives in the field of museums. The photos of Bada Valley that | could find in the museum are quite similarities with amazing. | share them with the reader here. ith} Bada Valley, sometimes called Napu Valley, is located in the Lore Lindu megalithic ational Park and contains hundreds of finely carved megaliths. They go monuments In back to at least 1400 AD and are probably much older. No one knows who the builders were. The locals are apparently as mystified about the megaliths as other parts of the archaeologists are. The megaliths are magnificent and enigmatic, and they world such as estify to a genius and high civilisation that we know nothing about. It seems hat the World Explorers Club should make an expedition into this area! One of the things that most impresses me is the similarity of some of the Bada Valley statues with Olmec statues in Mexico and Guatemala. This is an area of research that | intend to pursue. I did some research online, including checking out a website devoted to information on the Bada Valley: the extensive Indonesian tourism site at ttp://indahnesia.com with the motto, "Discover Indonesia Online". Since | aven't been to the Bada Valley yet, | will let the tourism site tell you about he mysterious valley and its megaliths. . Here is the Bada Valley article, written by an anonymous author and Introduction by posted at http://indahnesia.com/indonesia/CENBAD/the_bada_valley.php. David Hatcher Childress It is slightly edited for publication here; Ed.| owmelayi Central America. ANCIENT THE MEGALITHS CENTRAL SULAWESI Curious stone sculptures found in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, could be as much as 5,000 years old and have similarities with megalithic monuments in other parts of the world such as Central America. Curious stone sculptures found in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, could be as much as 5,000 years old and have similarities with megalithic monuments in other parts of the world such as Central America. Introduction by David Hatcher Childress © 2011 World Explorers Club PO Box 74 Kempton, IL 60946-0074 USA Website: http://wexclub.com Introduction by David Hatcher Childress © 20i1 Old Art and Modern Humans n impressive phallic symbol, carved out to express a human shape, As: from the ground. The face—several bend lines, round eyes and a lightly opened mouth—watches to the west with a timeless expression, unmoved and incomprehensible like the Sphinx. This megalithic art, massive and simple, kept its tremendous silent power even after someone had tried to brush away the natural erosion. World Explorers Club PO Box 74 Kempton, IL 60946-0074 USA JUNE - JULY 2012 NEXUS ¢ 59 Website: http://wexclub.com www.nexusmagazine.com