Hindu and Buddha archeological sites found in West Sumatra

Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang, West Sumatra

Archeologists from the West Sumatra Ancient Heritage Conservation Center are studying historical objects that were recently found in six Hindu and Buddha archeological sites in Sawahlunto Sijunjung and Limapuluh Kota regencies.

Head of the center, Marsis Sutopo said on Thursday the findings would provide new evidence of the development of civilization in Sumatra, which, like other parts of the country, encompassed cultural heritage of Hindu, Buddha and Islam.

He said his team of archeologists discovered five sites in Sawahlunto along the Batanghari River which runs down the Bukit Barisan mountain. They are located in Pulau Sawah, Bukit Awang, Padang Rocok, Rambahan and Padang Laweh areas, with temples found in the first three places.

Marsis said four temples were uncovered in Pulau Sawah, along with some artifacts from the Dharmasraya Kingdom, such as a statue of Goddess Durga Mahesasuramardhini and a statue depicting a man sitting on a raft.

There were five statues discovered in the compound of Padang Rocok temple, one of them is a giant statue that resembles the Adityawarman statue in the Jakarta National Museum. There is a moat surrounding the temple, which archeologists believe was used as part of their defense.

Marsis said that the Batanghari River was the main road access to major towns in West Sumatra and Jambi kingdoms in the past. Old manuscripts describes that delegates of Singasari Kingdom in East Java sailed through the river as part of their Pamalayu expedition to Malacca Kingdom in the 13th century.

Marsis said the giant statue of Adityawarman was one of the expedition's scattered belongings.

The Dharmasraya Kingdom, according to Marsis, existed between the 13th century and 14th century. He said that the kingdom was moved from Batanghari River to Pagaruyung by King Adityawarman in a bid to save his crown from the enemy.

In Limapuluh Kota regency, the archeologists uncovered a titanic stone from the Megalith era in Taeh Bukik village, some 120 kilometers east of Padang, the capital of West Sumatra. Marsis said that the stone had thin lines, inscribed with the stars' orbit and some scratches of Pallawan letters.

Regent Alis Maradjo said that he would find a historian to read the writings on the stone. He said the local people called the stone as "Batu Borobono (Borobono Stone).

He said there were also some stones found near the foot of Bunsu Mountain, one of fascinating tourist sites in the regency. The stones were located at a site of 600 meters above sea level is believed to be linked to the Borobono stone.

The regency is a home to at least eight archeological sites, one of the most ancient sites situated in Mahat, where thousands of megalith stones, menhir, and phallus of Hindus temple are found.

Earlier this month, a group of archeologists from the Bandung Archeologists Council and the Serang Historical Heritage Conservation Office unearthed seven menhirs, which symbolize men, at a temple site in Bojongmenje, Cangkuang Rancaekek, some 25 kilometers southeast of Bandung, West Java. Menhir is usually found in Hindu temples.

Also unearthed was a Hindu Temple in Ringinamon village, Magelang, Central Java while a team of archeologists discovered a stone statue of the Hindu god Siva, which is believed to be from the fifth century, in the Kalasan district, just three kilometers from the renowned Prambanan temple.