Liang Bua, human evolution study center<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Manggarai<\/p>\n
At the end of October, the fossilized remains of a one-meter-
\ntall hominid were discovered in Flores island, which lies within
\nEast Nusa Tenggara province.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post's Yemris Fointuna has written a profile of
\nLiang Bua, where the discovery was made. The accompanying article
\nmakes reference to the role of dwarfs in Flores mythology.<\/p>\n
Liang Bua, a village nearby the main town of Ruteng in
\nManggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, has abruptly shot
\nto world fame. Scientists, particularly anthropologists and
\narcheologists, have been drawn to it for its valuable find in
\nhuman evolution, a mystery long hidden in a cave.<\/p>\n
The conical cave, measuring 50 meters by 70 m and about 20 m
\nin height, testifies to the activity of prehistoric men, now
\nknown as homo floresiensis, on Flores island.<\/p>\n
The fossil remains of a one-meter-tall hominid were discovered
\nby Indonesian, Australian, American and Dutch scientists during a
\nmission that began last year.<\/p>\n
The Flores hominid, according to some world experts, is the
\nshortest human species found in the last 100 years. It is
\nbelieved that the hominid had dark and scaly skin, making its
\ndiscovery a breakthrough in evolutionary studies.<\/p>\n
Flores men are believed to have migrated from Java 850,000
\nyears ago and once coexisted with homo sapiens, or modern men,
\nbefore the extinction of the ancestral form some 13,000 years
\nback, following a volcanic storm.<\/p>\n
According to experts, these little men mostly lived in
\nisolation in forested areas and liked hunting in West Flores.
\nThey were originally a bit taller, but their secluded cave life
\nreduced their average height over the centuries.<\/p>\n
Liang Bua, or Teras hamlet to be exact, is on the fringe of
\nRuteng. Based on the town's master plan, it belongs to an
\nagricultural development zone, due to its fertile soil and
\nnumerous springs.<\/p>\n
It is about 15 kilometers south of Ruteng, or about an hour's
\ndrive.<\/p>\n
To reach the village of 2,000 people, visitors can take either
\nthe hamlet route -- from Golopau to Waepeca to Tado to Rua to
\nLiang Bua -- or the southern route from Poco to Ting and Waemulu,
\nthrough farm land. All roads leading to the village are in bad
\nrepair.<\/p>\n
The virtually deserted and isolated area has apparently been
\nneglected by the government. Villagers prefer to walk to Ruteng
\nas they cannot afford public transportation fares.<\/p>\n
The main means of public transportation in the village,
\nlocally known as the \"wooden bus\", is a modified truck with
\ncanvas roofing and seats.<\/p>\n
With the discovery of the Flores hominid fossil, visitors
\nflocked to the village. \"Most of them came from other regions to
\nsee the place where the 'dwarf' was unearthed, as reported by the
\nmass media,\" cave guard Rikus Bandar told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Tourists do not generally venture into the heart of the cave.
\nA tunnel is located within the cave, leading to a lake situated
\naround 200 meters below the earth's surface.<\/p>\n
A hole of unknown depth is another notable feature of the
\ncave. But no outsider has been so bold as to enter the tunnel so
\nfar.<\/p>\n
Liang Bua village head Nikolaus Jehamur said he had frequently
\nappealed to the people living around the cave to move to a new
\nsettlement, but they refused to leave, claiming that the cave was
\npart of their heritage.<\/p>\n
For the villagers, the cave is something that has always been
\nthere. They have participated in its management since 1980, when
\nthe regional administration declared the site a tourist
\ndestination. \"We are pleasantly surprised to see that our village
\nhas become world-famous after the discovery of the Flores
\nfossil,\" he added.<\/p>\n
According to Agus Mangga and Rikus Bandar, both assigned to
\nwatch over the cave, archeological teams have visited the
\nlocation almost every year. \"They've been digging and seeking
\nfossils and stones, but we have no idea what they are after.
\nWe're just helping them,\" said Agus.<\/p>\n
Head of the archeology and history unit of East Nusa
\nTenggara's National Education Office, Siktus Tey Seran, said on a
\nseparate occasion that the cave had been explored by teams of
\nexperts from Jakarta, Bandung, Australia and America from 1976 to
\n2003, and this year elephant and human fossils were discovered.<\/p>\n
\"It has been explored many times, but the results of their
\nstudies is not our concern, we are only accompanying them,\" said
\nTey Seran.<\/p>\n
The most recent research and excavation project at the cave
\nwas carried out by the National Archeology Agency together with
\nAustralia's New England University and Canada's Marter Mark
\nUniversity.<\/p>\n
Prof. Dr. Soejono headed the Indonesian team comprising
\nJatmiko, Emanuel Wahyu Saptomo, Sri Warsito and Rokus Due Awe.<\/p>\n
Prof. Dr. Mike Marword, assisted by Douglas Hobbs, led the
\nAustralian group while Canada's team comprised Jack Rink, Bert
\nRoberts and Karrie Grant.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/liang-bua-human-evolution-study-center-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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