Dvarapala, Rogoselo (Pekalongan).
Archaeological survey on the north coast of Central Java
15 DECEMBER 15
Between the mid-8th c. and the
first quarter of the 10th c., the area around Mt Merapi and Mt Sumbing
wast the seat of powerful Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms. In less than a century,
Javanese civilization gave the world Borobudur and Prambanan, two masterpieces of
refinement and artistic mastery. More than 200 smaller temples were built in
the same area, from the Dieng Plateau and the slopes of Mt Unguran to the banks
of the Progo River and the Yogyakarta Plain.
The magnificient ruins of the
Yogyakarta-Muntilan area should however not overshadow the fact that it through
the north coast of Java – the only one suitable for navigation – that Indian
traditions transited. Sadly, archaeological research in this part of the island
has been limited to three incomplete inventories and to the surperficial
excavation of two sites. Hence, we lack crucial information – such as accurate
data regarding the density, distribution and nature of archaeological remains.
We also lack an overview that would help us to understand the role played by
the north coast during the Hindu-Buddhist period: periphery, transit port,
crossroads of cultures or place of exchange between the Javanese land, the
Malay world and farther areas of South and Southeast Asia?
To answer these questions, the
EFEO and the National Centre for Archaeological Research (Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional) initiated, in
2012, a survey of the north coast of Central Java. Six campaigns have already been
carried out, in Batang, Kendal, Kotamadya Semarang,
Semarang, Pekalongan and Tegal. Through an extensive and non-intrusive walking survey,
our team has been identifying dozens of sites and will produce the first archaeological map of the region.
A key objective of this program is to get the
most complete picture of the occupation of the territory. Hence we do not limit
ourselves to the remains that are still in
situ, nor to those mentioned in Dutch literature. We also trace the
sculptures originating from the north coast through museum inventories and local archives.
Alongside the survey and the
inventory, National Centre for Archaeological Research has also undertaken a
series of targeted excavations. The aim of these excavations is to clarify the
chronology and the nature of some of the sites identified during the survey and
that are thought to have played a significant role in regional history.Between the mid-8th c. and the first quarter of the 10th c., the area around Mt Merapi and Mt Sumbing wast the seat of powerful Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms. In less than a century, Javanese civilization gave the world Borobudur and Prambanan, two masterpieces of refinement and artistic mastery. More than 200 smaller temples were built in the same area, from the Dieng Plateau and the slopes of Mt Unguran to the banks of the Progo River and the Yogyakarta Plain.
The magnificient ruins of the Yogyakarta-Muntilan area should however not overshadow the fact that it through the north coast of Java - the only one suitable for navigation - that Indian traditions transited. Sadly, archaeological research in this part of the island has been limited to three incomplete inventories and to the surperficial excavation of two sites. Hence, we lack crucial information - such as accurate data regarding the density, distribution and nature of archaeological remains. We also lack an overview that would help us to understand the role played by the north coast during the Hindu-Buddhist period: periphery, transit port, crossroads of cultures or place of exchange between the Javanese land, the Malay world and farther areas of South and Southeast Asia?
To answer these questions, the EFEO and the National Centre for Archaeological Research (Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional) initiated, in 2012, a survey of the north coast of Central Java. Six campaigns have already been carried out, in Batang, Kendal, Kotamadya Semarang, Semarang, Pekalongan and Tegal. Through an extensive and non-intrusive walking survey, our team has been identifying dozens of sites and will produce the first archaeological map of the region.
A key objective of this program is to get the most complete picture of the occupation of the territory. Hence we do not limit ourselves to the remains that are still in situ, nor to those mentioned in Dutch literature. We also trace the sculptures originating from the north coast through museum inventories and local archives.
Alongside the survey and the inventory, National Centre for Archaeological Research has also undertaken a series of targeted excavations. The aim of these excavations is to clarify the chronology and the nature of some of the sites identified during the survey and that are thought to have played a significant role in regional history.
research programs
first quarter of the 10th c., the area around Mt Merapi and Mt Sumbing
wast the seat of powerful Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms. In less than a century,
Javanese civilization gave the world Borobudur and Prambanan, two masterpieces of
refinement and artistic mastery. More than 200 smaller temples were built in
the same area, from the Dieng Plateau and the slopes of Mt Unguran to the banks
of the Progo River and the Yogyakarta Plain.
The magnificient ruins of the
Yogyakarta-Muntilan area should however not overshadow the fact that it through
the north coast of Java – the only one suitable for navigation – that Indian
traditions transited. Sadly, archaeological research in this part of the island
has been limited to three incomplete inventories and to the surperficial
excavation of two sites. Hence, we lack crucial information – such as accurate
data regarding the density, distribution and nature of archaeological remains.
We also lack an overview that would help us to understand the role played by
the north coast during the Hindu-Buddhist period: periphery, transit port,
crossroads of cultures or place of exchange between the Javanese land, the
Malay world and farther areas of South and Southeast Asia?
To answer these questions, the
EFEO and the National Centre for Archaeological Research (Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional) initiated, in
2012, a survey of the north coast of Central Java. Six campaigns have already been
carried out, in Batang, Kendal, Kotamadya Semarang,
Semarang, Pekalongan and Tegal. Through an extensive and non-intrusive walking survey,
our team has been identifying dozens of sites and will produce the first archaeological map of the region.
A key objective of this program is to get the
most complete picture of the occupation of the territory. Hence we do not limit
ourselves to the remains that are still in
situ, nor to those mentioned in Dutch literature. We also trace the
sculptures originating from the north coast through museum inventories and local archives.
Alongside the survey and the
inventory, National Centre for Archaeological Research has also undertaken a
series of targeted excavations. The aim of these excavations is to clarify the
chronology and the nature of some of the sites identified during the survey and
that are thought to have played a significant role in regional history.Between the mid-8th c. and the first quarter of the 10th c., the area around Mt Merapi and Mt Sumbing wast the seat of powerful Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms. In less than a century, Javanese civilization gave the world Borobudur and Prambanan, two masterpieces of refinement and artistic mastery. More than 200 smaller temples were built in the same area, from the Dieng Plateau and the slopes of Mt Unguran to the banks of the Progo River and the Yogyakarta Plain.
The magnificient ruins of the Yogyakarta-Muntilan area should however not overshadow the fact that it through the north coast of Java - the only one suitable for navigation - that Indian traditions transited. Sadly, archaeological research in this part of the island has been limited to three incomplete inventories and to the surperficial excavation of two sites. Hence, we lack crucial information - such as accurate data regarding the density, distribution and nature of archaeological remains. We also lack an overview that would help us to understand the role played by the north coast during the Hindu-Buddhist period: periphery, transit port, crossroads of cultures or place of exchange between the Javanese land, the Malay world and farther areas of South and Southeast Asia?
To answer these questions, the EFEO and the National Centre for Archaeological Research (Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional) initiated, in 2012, a survey of the north coast of Central Java. Six campaigns have already been carried out, in Batang, Kendal, Kotamadya Semarang, Semarang, Pekalongan and Tegal. Through an extensive and non-intrusive walking survey, our team has been identifying dozens of sites and will produce the first archaeological map of the region.
A key objective of this program is to get the most complete picture of the occupation of the territory. Hence we do not limit ourselves to the remains that are still in situ, nor to those mentioned in Dutch literature. We also trace the sculptures originating from the north coast through museum inventories and local archives.
Alongside the survey and the inventory, National Centre for Archaeological Research has also undertaken a series of targeted excavations. The aim of these excavations is to clarify the chronology and the nature of some of the sites identified during the survey and that are thought to have played a significant role in regional history.
research programs