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Abstract

The Toba eruption approximately 74,000 years ago was one of the largest volcanic events of the Quaternary and is often associated with the catastrophic hypothesis, which argues that the event caused extreme global cooling and severe reductions in human populations. However, recent studies suggest that its impacts were less destructive than previously assumed. This paper examines the position of Lida Ajer Cave within the context of the Toba eruption through a literature review of archaeological, geological, and paleoenvironmental publications. The review shows that the presence of Homo sapiens at Lida Ajer, dated to approximately 73,000–63,000 years ago, places the site within a timeframe closely associated with the Toba eruption. Although Lida Ajer lacks a direct stratigraphic association with the Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT), its chronological evidence, together with comparisons to the Jurreru Valley sites in India, provides a critical perspective on models proposing widespread human extinction caused by the eruption. This review highlights the importance of regional approaches for understanding the relationship between the Toba eruption, environmental change, and prehistoric human responses.

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Bahasa Abstract

Erupsi Gunung Toba sekitar 74.000 tahun lalu merupakan salah satu letusan vulkanik terbesar pada periode Kuarter dan sering dikaitkan dengan hipotesis katastrofik yang menyatakan bahwa peristiwa tersebut menyebabkan pendinginan global ekstrim serta penyusutan populasi manusia. Namun, penelitian terbaru menunjukkan bahwa dampak erupsi Toba kemungkinan tidak sedestruktif yang diperkirakan sebelumnya. Tulisan ini mengkaji posisi Situs Lida Ajer dalam konteks erupsi Toba melalui studi literatur terhadap berbagai publikasi arkeologi, geologi, dan paleoenvironment. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa keberadaan Homo sapien di Lida Ajer yang berumur sekitar 73.000–63.000 tahun lalu menempatkan situs ini pada rentang waktu yang sangat dekat dengan erupsi Toba. Meskipun tidak memiliki hubungan stratigrafi langsung dengan endapan Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT), data kronologi dari Lida Ajer serta perbandingannya dengan situs Jurreru Valley di India memberikan perspektif kritis terhadap model kepunahan manusia secara menyeluruh akibat erupsi Toba. Kajian ini menunjukkan pentingnya pendekatan regional dalam memahami hubungan antara letusan Toba, perubahan lingkungan, dan respons manusia prasejarah.

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