Tinggi Hari, 20km from Lahat, west of the small river town of Pulau Pinang, is a site featuring the best examples of early prehistoric stone sculpture in Indonesia. The Pasemah carvings fall into two distinct styles. The early style dates from around 3000 years ago and features fairly crude figures squatting with hands on knees or arms folded over chests. The later style, incorporating expressive facial features, dates from about 2000 years ago and is far more elaborate.
Examples of the later style include carvings of men riding, battling with snakes and struggling with elephants. There are also a couple of tigers – one guarding a representation of a human head between its paws. The natural curve of the rocks was used to create a three-dimensional effect, though all the sculptures are in bas-relief. Sculptures of this style are found throughout the villages around Pagaralam, although some take a bit of seeking out and a guide, such as Yayan Andriawan, is a good idea.
