Sensation! Farmer Discovers 16 Kilogrammes of Gold whilst Working in Rice Field
Residents of Wonoboyo Village, Klaten, Central Java were astounded by the discovery of 16 kilogrammes of gold by a farmer named Cipto Suwarno.
The incident occurred in 1990. Whilst working his rice field, Cipto Suwarno discovered several gold items buried beneath the soil. For more than a week, he excavated his agricultural land. He dug from morning until sunset, using a medium-sized spade. The area of soil excavated was countless during his work, unaware that hidden treasure awaited beneath.
He simply wanted irrigation water to enter his rice field as it once had. Understandably, a nearby project had disrupted the land’s contours. However, on Wednesday 17 October 1990 whilst digging at a depth of 2.5 metres, Suwarno’s hand suddenly stopped.
The tip of his spade abruptly touched something hard. Initially, he thought it was merely a stone and pushed it aside. However, when the hard object was lifted, he was startled.
“Gold, gold, goldd!!!” Suwarno cried out.
He was astonished to discover the hard object was not a stone, but a ceramic jug wrapped in gold. A crowd quickly gathered. In the presence of village officials, he continued excavating and discovered a fantastic treasure: 16 kilogrammes of gold.
“When detailed, the discovered items comprised a bulging bowl, 6 bowl covers, 3 ladles, 1 tray, 97 bracelets, 22 bowls, a tobacco pipe, a large jug, 2 small jugs, 11 rings, 7 plates, 8 ear ornaments, a handbag, a keris, beads, and coins,” as recorded by Tempo (3 November 1990).
Suwarno’s discovery was subsequently recorded in history as the Wonoboyo Treasure, later considered the largest archaeological gold discovery in history.
Archaeologists concluded that all the treasure originated from the late 9th to mid-10th century. This conclusion was based on the form of the gold items matching that era. Inside the gold bowl there was a Ramayana relief. Furthermore, the gold coins bore the inscription “Saragi Diah Bunga.”
Regardless of when and where the treasure originated, the Wonoboyo Treasure can indicate how Javanese people during the ancient kingdoms of the 9th and 10th centuries, whether elite or common folk, used gold in their daily lives. Even long before that period.
Ancient Javanese Society’s Fondness for Gold
Gold was indeed easily and cheaply obtainable in antiquity. Consequently, this precious item became embedded in the lives of ancient Javanese society.
Various records show that during the Majapahit era (1293-1527 CE), for example, nobles often possessed gold in large quantities. Various items were gold-plated, from carriages to fans.
Additionally, as explained by Stuart Robson in Desawarna by Mpu Prapanca (1995), the kingdom of Daha, which was contemporary with Majapahit, had similar habits. He highlighted the habit of the Raja of Daha’s daughter who frequently used gold-plated carriages.
Then, archaeologist Slamet Mulyana in Menuju Puncak Kemegahan (2012), recounted how gold became a coveted item during the Majapahit era as written by Empu Prapanca in Nagarakertagama. “He wanted to be like empu Winada who aspired to accumulate much money and gold,” wrote Prapanca, as retold by Slamet Mulyana.
The enthusiasm for collecting gold was also not merely for aesthetics, but also for commercial transactions. Erwin Kusuma in Uang Indonesia: Sejarah dan Perkembangannya (2021) notes that ancient Javanese society commonly used gold in commercial transactions in the market. However, transactions through gold were used on a large scale, such as the buying and selling of land, not for market transactions.
The connection between Javanese society and gold frequently attracted the attention of foreign explorers. When visiting Java, Chinese explorers were astonished to see the kings living luxuriously. As narrated in Nusantara’s Catatan Tionghoa (2009), the Chinese explorers saw gold scattered around the king. Even during meals, they used gold utensils.
Meanwhile, European explorer Tome Pires in Suma Oriental (1944) also stated the same. When visiting Java in 1513, he saw a very wealthy Javanese king. His appearance from head to toe was entirely adorned with gold. Even his guards and pets wore gold necklaces and bracelets.
Despite their fondness for gold, they could not obtain it on the island of Java. Therefore, to acquire it, residents typically imported gold from Sumatra, an island known as the ‘Golden Paradise.’ Or they could obtain it from India.
Over time, the custom of using gold continued. However, with the collapse of the ancient kingdoms and the emergence of colonialism, a change in lifestyle occurred. At that point, gold jewellery became buried treasure. The item lay buried beneath unknown ground, continuing to be the object of treasure seekers’ desire.
Until finally, kingdom gold was discovered on a large scale in Wonoboyo. The Wonoboyo Treasure was subsequently stored in the National Museum, Jakarta.