Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Indonesia fills the caldera of a supervolcano whose last major eruption, roughly 74,000 years ago, was among the largest known in Earth's history. For the Batak people of the surrounding highlands, the lake is entwined with origin mythology, including accounts tracing the Batak people's descent to a supernatural fish-woman associated with the lake, and it remains a landscape of continuing spiritual significance alongside its status as the region's dominant physical feature.
Facts
Significance
Sacred RoleThe originating landscape of Batak origin mythology, including accounts tracing the Batak people's descent to a supernatural fish-woman associated with the lake; it remains a landscape of continuing spiritual significance today. 1 Origins
Origin RegionNorth Sumatra, Indonesia 1 RegionNorth Sumatra, Indonesia, in the highlands home to the Batak people, filling the caldera of a supervolcano. 1 Attributions
Associated ReligionBatak traditional belief centered on the lake's origin mythology, alongside the Christianity most Toba Batak people have practiced since nineteenth century Lutheran mission work in the region. 1 Connections
Associated With
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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Encyclopedia of Religion
Mircea Eliade (ed.); Lindsay Jones (ed., 2nd ed.), Macmillan Reference, 2005s.v. Batak religion; Lake Toba origin mythView the Source Lake Toba (Wikipedia)
In Group: Volcanic crater lakes (Bodies of Water), Lead sentence, classQuote, In Group: Volcanic crater lakes (Bodies of Water), Lead sentence, class
The lake is the massive caldera of the Toba supervolcano.
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