Farmer Discovers 16 kg of Gold in Rice Field, Here's What Happened to It
Residents of Wonoboyo Village in Klaten, Central Java, were once shocked by the discovery of 16 kilograms of gold by a farmer named Cipto Suwarno.
The incident occurred in 1990. While working his rice field, Cipto found several gold objects buried in the soil. For more than a week, he continued digging his agricultural land until he uncovered more valuable artefacts.
He hoed from morning until sunset, using a medium-sized hoe. The area of soil he dug was immeasurable as he worked without knowing that hidden treasure awaited beneath it.
Essentially, he wanted irrigation water to flow into his rice field as it once did. Understandably, projects around the rice field had disrupted the land’s contours. However, on Wednesday, 17 October 1990, while digging to a depth of 2.5 metres, Suwarno’s hand suddenly stopped.
The hoe’s blade abruptly hit a hard object. At first, he thought it was just a stone and tried to remove it. But when he lifted the hard object, he was immediately stunned.
“Gold, gold, gold!!!,” Suwarno shouted.
He was shocked to see that the hard object was not a stone, but a ceramic jar wrapped in gold. A crowd quickly gathered. In front of village officials, he continued the excavation and discovered a fantastic treasure: 16 kg of gold.
“If detailed, the finds consist of a bulging basin, 6 basin lids, 3 ladles, 1 tray, 97 bracelets, 22 bowls, a tobacco pipe, a large jar, 2 small jars, 11 rings, 7 plates, 8 earrings, a handbag, a kris dagger, beads, and coins,” wrote Tempo (3 November 1990).
Suwarno’s discovery was later recorded in history as the Wonoboyo Treasure, considered the largest archaeological gold find in history.
Archaeologists concluded that the entire treasure dates from the late 9th century to the mid-10th century. This conclusion was drawn from the form of the gold finds matching that era. In the gold bowl, there is a Ramayana relief. Then, on the gold coin, there is the inscription “Saragi Diah Bunga.”
Regardless of when and from where the treasure originated, the Wonoboyo Treasure can indicate how Javanese people in the ancient kingdoms of the 9th and 10th centuries, both elites and ordinary folk, used gold in daily life. Even long before that time.
Javanese Society’s Love for Gold
In the past, gold could indeed be obtained easily and cheaply. As a result, the precious metal was ingrained in the lives of ancient Javanese society.
Various records show that in the Majapahit era (1293-1527 AD), for example, nobles often possessed large amounts of gold. Various objects were coated in gold, from carriages to fans.
Suwarno’s discovery was later recorded in history as the Wonoboyo Treasure, considered the largest archaeological gold find in history.
Archaeologists concluded that the entire treasure dates from the late 9th century to the mid-10th century. This conclusion was drawn from the form of the gold finds matching that era. In the gold bowl, there is a Ramayana relief. Then, on the gold coin, there is the inscription “Saragi Diah Bunga.”
Regardless of when and from where the treasure originated, the Wonoboyo Treasure can indicate how Javanese people in the ancient kingdoms of the 9th and 10th centuries, both elites and ordinary folk, used gold in daily life. Even long before that time.
Javanese Society’s Love for Gold
In the past, gold could indeed be obtained easily and cheaply. As a result, the precious metal was ingrained in the lives of ancient Javanese society.
Various records show that in the Majapahit era (1293-1527 AD), for example, nobles often possessed large amounts of gold. Various objects were coated in gold, from carriages to fans.
In addition, as explained by Stuart Robson in Desawarna by Mpu Prapanca (1995), the Daha kingdom, contemporary with Majapahit, had similar habits. He highlighted the habit of the daughter of the King of Daha who often used a gold-plated carriage.
Then, archaeologist Slamet Mulyana in Menuju Puncak Kemegahan (2012) recounts how gold became a coveted item in the Majapahit era as written by Empu Prapanca in Nagarakertagama. “He wanted to be like Empu Winada who aspired to collect a lot of money and gold,” wrote Prapanca, rewritten by Slamet Mulyana.
The fondness for collecting gold was not only for aesthetics but also for trade transactions. Erwin Kusuma in Uang Indonesia: Sejarah dan Perkembangannya (2021) notes that ancient Javanese society commonly used gold in market trade transactions. However, gold transactions were used on a large scale, such as land sales, not market transactions.
The connection between Javanese society and gold also often caught the attention of foreign explorers. When visiting Java, Chinese explorers were amazed to see kings living luxuriously. As told in Nusantara dalam Catatan Tionghoa (2009), those Chinese explorers saw gold scattered around the king. Even when eating, they used gold utensils.
Meanwhile, European explorer Tome Pires in Suma Oriental (1944) said the same. When visiting Java in 1513, he saw a very wealthy Javanese king. His appearance from head to toe was fully adorned with gold. Even the guards and pet dogs wore gold necklaces and bracelets.
Although fond of wearing gold, they could not obtain it on Java island. Therefore, to acquire it, ordinary residents imported gold from Sumatra, an island known as the ‘Gold Paradise’. Or they could get it from India.
Over time, the habit of using gold continued. However, with the fall of ancient kingdoms and the emergence of colonialism, lifestyles changed. At one point, gold jewellery became buried treasure. Those items were buried in unknown soil and continued to be the object of treasure hunters.
Eventually, the gold of the kingdoms was