TNI and West Java Locals Stunned by Discovery of Socks Filled with Diamonds

The Cigombong region in West Java holds a high-value historical story amidst the turmoil of the early independence revolution era. Exactly in 1946, shortly after Japan’s defeat, Indonesian National Army (TNI) personnel and local residents cooperatively scoured the former Japanese military base in the area to search for weapons to counter Dutch aggression. Instead of ammunition or rifles, the search at the former Japanese defensive base yielded an extraordinary find: a pile of glittering diamond jewellery and several kilograms of royal gold, estimated to be worth a staggering Rp 6 billion. This accidental discovery immediately shocked witnesses and opened a new chapter in Indonesia’s historical treasure-hunting saga. It is worth noting that the Cigombong area in Sukabumi-Bogor was previously used by Japanese forces as a base before 1946. After mid-1946, the defeated Japanese troops departed from Cigombong, and the Indonesian National Army (TNI) secured the site with local assistance. Together with local Cigombong residents, the TNI dug around the former Japanese site, hoping to find weapons to fight the Dutch forces. ‘Sergeant Major Sidik, along with several military police personnel and locals, discovered a large jar. Upon opening it, they found socks containing hard objects. They carefully opened the socks one by one and were shocked to see the contents: gold, gemstones, and diamonds that had been dug out and gleamed brightly,’ said Haji Priyatna Abdurrasyid in his book ‘From Cilampeni to New York’ (2001:102). According to Expres magazine (29/09/1972), the gold was valued at nearly Rp 6 billion. The treasure consisted of 7kg of gold and 4kg of diamonds, originating from Bogor’s Pondok Gede estate. Based on reports from the team delivering the treasure to Yogyakarta, it was handed over to Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI-46) in Yogyakarta. At the time, the director of BNI-46 was Raden Mas Margono Djojohadikusumo, grandfather of Indonesia’s current Defence Minister. Additionally, a gold treasure discovery occurred in Wonoboyo Village, Jogonalan Subdistrict, Klaten, Central Java, where residents digging for fill soil accidentally uncovered jars containing gold and silver in October 1990. The jars contained various pieces of jewellery, including bracelets and rings. The collection of gold and silver items stored in four jars was described as a masterpiece and the largest discovery in Indonesia’s history. The historical artifacts were found by six residents at a depth of three metres in sandy soil dug for fill material. ‘Six people found them. While digging, someone hit a jar at about three metres deep in sandy soil,’ said Widodo, one of the discoverers, as quoted by detikcom.