PERSEBARAN KARST DI BEBERAPA PULAU-PULAU TERLUAR INDONESIA DAN PROSPEKNYA PADA PENELITIAN ARKEOLOGI INDONESIA

Abstract

The Presidential Decree No. 78 of the year 2005, which stipulates that there are 92 outer islands that  are bordered by Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Palau, Australia, Timor Leste, India, Singapore, and Papua New Guinea. Identification shows that 12 of them are coral/coral reef islands with no caves. Only a few are wide enough and have karst caves and are named limestone islands. Some other islands are reported to be consists of andesitic and sedimentary rocks. Quite many have not been described in terms of their geologypetrology.  The flora and fauna data are scarce. Only a number of the outer islands are inhabited. Are there among the islands, which consist of limestone and had gone through karstification process, that have archaeological value? To answer it, more thorough investigations are needed, particularly because time, space, change, and continuity are involved.

Peraturan Presiden Nomor 78 Tahun 2005 menetapkan adanya 92 pulau terluar yang berbatasan dengan Malaysia, Vietnam, Filipina, Palau, Australia, Timor Leste, India, Singapura, dan Papua Nugini. Hasil identifikasi menunjukkan bahwa 12 di antaranya sebagai “karang”, “batu karang”, “terumbu karang”, tanpa gua-gua. Hanya sedikit pulau yang luas dan memiliki gua-gua karst. dan dinamakan pulau “batu kapur”, “batu gamping”, “gamping”. Beberapa pulau  lainnya dilaporkan terdiri dari “batuan andesit’ dan “batuan sedimen”. Cukup banyak yang tidak dideskripsi segi geologi-petrologinya. Data flora dan faunanya sangat sedikit. Hanya beberapa pulau terluar yang berpenghuni. Apakah di antara pulau-pulau itu, yang berbatu gamping dan sudah mengalami proses karstifikasi dengan adanya gua-gua, bernilai arkeologi? Hal ini membutuhkan kajian yang lebih mendalam, terutama karena menyangkut waktu (time), ruang (space), perubahan (change), dan kesinambungan (continuity).