The Discovery Of Fossil Pithecanthropus Erekus, Fadli Zon: Indonesia Becomes Witness To Human Evolution

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon gave a virtual speech at a discussion entitled "The Discovery of Pithecantropus Erekus Dubois from Trinil: Revealing The Mystery of Human Evolution" which was held in Jakarta, Monday. (ANTARA/Adimas Raditya)

Minister of Culture (Menbud) Fadli Zon stated that Indonesia has an important role in human evolution studies, especially through the discovery of the ancient human fossil Pithecanthropus Ereectus by Eugene Dubois around Bengawan Solo.

"This discovery is a historic milestone that places Indonesia as a significant location in ancient human research," said Fadli Zon in his virtual remarks in a discussion entitled "The Discovery of Pithecanthropus Erekus Dubois from Trinil: Revealing the Mystery of Human Evolution" which took place in Jakarta, as quoted by ANTARA.

He added that the ancient human fossils not only contributed to the history of science but also confirmed Indonesia's position in the study of global paleoanthropology.

Indonesia has significant ancient human fossil wealth, including Homo Erectionus and various other prehistoric relics in areas such as Maros, Pangkep, and Sumatra.

One of the important findings highlighted was 702 ancient paintings in Maros, which are over 52 thousand years old, making them one of the oldest paintings in the world.

With these various findings, Indonesia is an important area in the development of paleoanthropology. According to Fadli, understanding human evolution can further develop with close collaborations between various disciplines, including anthropology and archeology.

The role of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture in this discussion is considered a strategic step to deepen understanding of human history and identity.

Fadli encouraged the cooperation between scientists to continue to be strengthened in order to maintain and preserve prehistoric sites in Indonesia, which is an integral part of the nation's cultural heritage.

"Indonesia is not just a small part of the history of human evolution, but has a major contribution in building a global understanding of cultural heritage and our role in the history of evolution," said Fadli Zon.