Prehistoric caves found in Papua

Jayapura (ANTARA News) - The Archaeology Office of Jayapura has in its research found prehistoric caves used to be inhabited by prehistoric people in the Karst hilly areas of Lake Sentani, Jayapura, Papua, a researcher said.

"The caves discovered are the Rukhabulu Awabu, Ifeli-feli and Ceruk Reugable caves," researcher Hari Suroto of the Jayapura Archaeology Office, said here on Sunday.

He said that their physical conditions and surroundings near a water source, where artifacts such as pottery, lake mollusc shells, marine mollusc shells and animal bones, indicated that the caves were used as human dwellings during the Neolithic age.

"The findings of the marine mollusc shells in the Reugable site and Cave Rukhabulu Awabhu, illustrate that in the past the inhabitants of the two sites have been consuming marine mollusks," he said.

This is very interesting because there is proof that the inhabitants of the caves had communications with the community members living in the coastal areas of the youtefa Bay.

"This indicates that the prehistoric men have already had communications with each other as proven by the findings of the sea mollusc shells in the caves," he said.

After all, the type of soil in the three caves are not suitable for producing potteries. Thus, it is concluded that the potteries found in the caves came from other places outside the cave areas.

"The black color found outside the potteries indicated that they were also used to cook," he said.

Lake Sentani is located in an area between the Jayapura city and the District of Jayapura with a width of 9,300 hectares. It is part of the Cyclops Nature Preserve. antaranews.com