Central Java, the Cradle
Candi Sewu
It is probably unwise to make such titling for the fact that it is just one of 33 provinces uniting more than 17 thousand islands in Indonesia. However, prehistoric fossils, large temples, relics and plenty other historical as well as anthropological remnants consideren from earlier age of the archipelago were discovered all over it.
Its prehistoric story is reflected comprehensively from Sangiran, the famous prehistoric site situated in Sragen region. It is among very few place in the whole world where anthropologists was and is still discovering large amount of human and animal fossils as well as various prehistoric tools in a single site. This site covers an area of 15 square kilometers to the north from Surakarta, between Bengawan Solo valley and slope of Mount Lawu.
Among ancient remnants that marked history of the glory the islands in the past is the mega-structure Borobudur. Studies estimated that this temple was erected around 800 AD when Java was under the influence of southern Malayan Sriwijaya Empire. It is a bit strange that such a large monument was not constructed around its cord realm.
Besides largest Buddhist monument in the world, Central Java is also the place where the largest Hindu temple lies, the Prambanan temple. Along with other fascinating temples, the two giant monuments are the evident of the island’s important role for the archipelago.
After the ruin of ancient of Sriwijaya, smaller Hindu kingdoms flourished throughout Java. In eastern part of the island, then, risen Majapahit, the Empire with an even larger influence than Sriwijaya. Favored by nonexistence of real external competitor, Majapahit’s realm covers places as far as modern Papua to the east and Thailand as well as Philippines to the north.
Though glory left this soil for quite a long time around Majapahit era, Islamic influence soon put it into sight after the founding its first-ever-kingdom-in-South-East-Asia in today’s Nangroe Aceh Darussalam. In very short tempo, Islamic influence centered in Demak Kingdom reigned all over its north coast and spread their influence to the rest of the island.
Today, Central Java is the province with the third largest population in Indonesia. As probably the most stable province on the island, Central Java preserves well most of its heritages.
