DENPASAR (indo.com): Until recently, ancient villages such as Tenganan in the East of Bali were only of interest to anthropologists and academics. However, many travel agencies now include visits to these fascinating sites in their itineraries as visitors to the island show increasing interest in the ethnic history of the Balinese.

Artifacts from villages in the regency of Karangasem, for example demonstrate the uniquity of the Bali Aga culture - the indigenous people to the island before it was inhabited by the Hindu Javanese in the 15th century.

Representative of Cultural affair of Educational Department branch Karangasem Regency, I Dewa Gede Raka, pointed out that anthropologists from America and Australia recently conducted research in the region. This is just one example of many such visits by Indonesian and International research teams.