Temple site found in Indonesia has Hindu and Buddhist influence

JAKARTA - Construction workers have found old structures, believed to be part of a 9th and 10th century temple, in Yogyakarta in Indonesia, with a specific architectural style and relief ornaments on its sides resembling those found at other significant historic Hindu and Buddhist temples.

According to a report in the Jakarta Post, the workers, using a backhoe, had come across a stone structure that appeared to be part of an ancient temple, at a depth of about 3 meters, while digging foundations for a new library building at the university on in Sleman regency.

Subsequent digging around the structure showed a wall-like structure around 50 centimeters in width, with a specific architectural style and relief ornaments on its sides resembling those found at other significant historic Hindu and Buddhist temples.

Indung Panca Putra, the chairman of the center’s protection working group, said that the unearthed parts of the structure, which is about 2.7 meters long and around 40 centimeters deep, is unique because it appears to be comparatively intact, has extremely fine ornaments and is made from a high quality, non-porous andesit stone.

“Only a temple of high importance for its time used this kind of material. This is why the reliefs have remained intact despite their age,” said Indung, pointing at pictures of the structure.

“Based on the architectural style and motifs of its ornaments, there is a high possibility the structure was built in the Central Java period, between the 9th and 10th centuries, during the rule of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom,” he said.

“In particular, motifs of a blossoming lotus, chains of pearls and of creeping plants indicated it was probably from this period,” he added.

According to Indung, the exact age and form of the building of which the structure was part could be studied and revealed through excavation.

“We are looking at the possibility of conducting a carbon dating to find out the exact age of the structure,” he said.

“If the structure is part of an ancient temple of which at least 70 percent of the original structure is intact, then a restoration will be necessary,” he added. (ANI)