REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, CIANJUR - The researchers of Mount Padang in Cianjur District of West Java Province have discovered metal slag, which is estimated to be from 5200 BC. 

The slag was found at a depth of 2.2 meters while the researchers were carrying out excavation work. They also discovered burnt soil around the slag, which was held by stone structures lying below.

"The stone structures were assumed to have been built by ancient people. There was also a trace of burnt marks above the stone. We had checked with the laboratory and found that it was built in 5200 BC. Thus, we believe the structure is from 5200 BC," one of the national researchers of Mount Padang Ali Akbar stated on Monday evening.

According to Ali, local people during the ancient period had used stones that contained metal to make iron equipment. They used to disperse the stones and burn them in high temperature. Subsequently, the metal essence trickled from the stone.

"After obtaining the metal essence, they cast it into metal equipment. The disposal waste that we found is the trace of metal slag production," Ali said.

The researchers had sent the metal slag to a laboratory, where metal and carbon substance were found as residue from the iron burning process. Ali added that the research team believed the ancient people had known about metal and architecture, as well as metal production technology.

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