Gianyar (Antara Bali) - Bali's archaeological authorities are to lift four ancient sarcophaguses found recently in the Banjar Kembengan area, Tulikup, Gianyar district, from their excavation site after the Idul Fitri holidays on Monday (Sept 13), a spokesperson said.
"Perhaps on Monday (Sept 13), after Idul Fitri, the Archaeological Objects Conservation Agency will move the sarcophaguses from their excavation site to the agency's holding facility at Bedulu, Blahbatuh," Ayu Kusumawati, a researcher of the Denpasar Archaeological Service, said here Saturday.
The four skeletons of pre-historic humans that were found in the ancient caskets had already been evacuated to a facility of the Denpasar Archeology Service, she said.
"All the bones found in the sarcophaguses have been taken out and carried to the Denpasar Archaelogy Service building," she said.
The service was now studying the bones from the four sarcophaguses found at Banjar Kembengan, Tulikup, Gianyar, and also skeletal remains found earlier at Subak Saba, Keramas, Blahbatuh. Ayu said.
The four sarcophaguses were discovered in a pandanus plantation owned by a local named I Gusti Nyoman Dirga. located about three kilometers east of a site at Subak Saba, Keramas, Gianyar district, where two other sarcophaguses were found earlier.
"According to the archeologists, the four sarcophaguses are about 2,500 years old, or date back to 500 BC - 100 AD," Dirga told reporters.
"When I was digging the soil at the pandanus plantation, my hoe hit something hard. When I examined it, it proved to be a stone casket," Dirga said.
Concerned about the find, Dirga on Tuesday (Aug 31) reported it to Kelian, an official of Banjar Kembengan.
"Mr. Kelian then reported to the police in Gianyar city and on Tuesday (Aug 31) night, the police came to check the location," he said.
Dirga said it was the second time ancient objects were found on his land. In 1998, a similar sarcophagus was unearthed at the pandanus plantation.(*)
