Island of Layers of Gold Found in Indonesian Territory, Here's Its Location
The golden island is not merely a legend or a work of fiction. It has been discovered that its location lies within Indonesia.
Stories of a golden island can be heard from various classical works and poems in India. These records describe the existence of such an island across the ocean, including the Ramayana epic, which depicts a voyage to an island known as Suvarnabhumi.
Even thousands of years ago, Greek and Roman scholars living between 31 BC and 416 AD spoke of the presence of an island containing gold south of India. One text even mentions that the ‘golden island lies under the Sun overhead’, which is interpreted as being located on the equator.
Furthermore, ancient manuscripts from the Chinese Ming Dynasty (14th century) refer to a land called San Fo Tjai, which was rich in gold, located in the southern region.
Many versions from ancient civilisations explain that this golden island would bring prosperity to those who reached it. Evidence of this could only be found during the Age of Discovery in the 15th century.
It turns out that this island is Sumatra. Historian O.W. Wolters, in ‘The Rise and Glory of Srivijaya, 3rd–7th Centuries’ (2017), documented various records regarding this fact.
Excavations have also been conducted. The records of William Marsden in ‘The History of Sumatra’ (1811) state that Padang, West Sumatra, received 10,000 ounces or 283 kg of gold from 1,200 mines in the hinterlands, with an estimated economic value of up to 1 million guilders.
Denys Lonbar, in ‘The Kingdom of Aceh’ (1986), stated that kingdoms in that region possessed 300 gold mines. It was rumoured that each mine produced an endless supply of 24-karat gold.
Agnus de Beaulieu from Europe also noted that the soil layers in Aceh could yield gold, sometimes even appearing in clumps.
The colonial period further revealed the facts regarding gold in Sumatra. The Dutch colonisers conducted large-scale exploration and exploitation, as gold had the potential to become a significant source of revenue alongside spices.
Local residents also utilised gold as a source of wealth. They frequently processed it for trade, which led to the emergence of wealthy entrepreneurs through the gold business and ownership.
These entrepreneurs also provided contributions to the development of Indonesia during the era of independence.