Bali History - Indonesia

Places of Interest in Bali

• Kuta
• Seminyak
• Nusa Dua
• Nusa Lembongan
• Ubud
• Lovina
• Pulau Menjangan

Other Indonesian locations

• Bali
• Flores
• Java
• Kalimantan
• Komodo
• Lombok
• Maluku
• Riau Islands
• Sulawesi
• Sumatra
• West Papua
• West Timor

Archeology has traced the first prehistoric humans back to around 350,000 years ago in Bali. Evidence of modern man, with tools date back to over 3000 years ago.

The prehistoric people of Bali buried their dead in sarcophagi. Many of these were discovered by archeologists around 1973 though many of these had already been looted so full details were unable to be traced.

Records show that the Balinese had contact with India and China in the 5th century AD though not a great deal is known about this era and little is none about the transfer of the Hindu religion from the Indian traders to the Balinese.

Hinduism from the Javanese had the biggest influence on Balinese culture around 1019 though the Balinese Hinduism has developed it's own shape with many aspects of Animism being intertwined.

The inscriptions on the stone in Sanur are partly written in old Balinese and partly Sanskrit.

8 powerful kingdoms developed within Bali

Last updated 3rd April 2009

Dutch sailors were the first Europeans to visit Bali in 1597.