The Trowulan Museum is an archaeological museum located in Trowulan, Mojokerto, in East Java, Indonesia. The museum was built in order to house the artifacts and archaeological findings discovered around Trowulan and its vicinity. The location is one of the more important in Indonesia in relation to tracing the history of Majapahit[1]
Most of the museum collections is originated from the Majapahit era, however the collections also covered the era of Kahuripan, Kediri, and Singhasari kingdoms in East Java. The museum is located on the western side of the kolam Segaran. Trowulan museum has the largest collection of Majapahit relics in Indonesia.
History
A sculpture depicting Samodramanthana, the churning of sea of milk.
The Trowulan Museum's history is intertwined with Trowulan archaeological site itself. The ancient city ruins at Trowulan had been discovered by the 19th century. Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, governor of Java from 1811 until 1816 reported the existence of ruins of temples scattered about the country for many miles. Much of the region was blanketed with dense teak forest at that time, making detailed survey difficult.
The urgent need to prevent looting and stealing from Trowulan archaeological site was one of the main reasons to build a simple archaeological storage building that became the old Trowulan Museum.[2] It was established by Henri Maclaine Pont, a Dutch architect and archaeologist, and the Mojokerto regent Kanjeng Adipati Ario Kromodjojo Adinegoro.[3]
The new museum was officially opened in 1987.[4] Covering a spacious area of some 57,625 square metres, this new site accommodates the collection of the old Trowulan Museum, as well as the bulk of the stone sculpture which used to be housed in the museum of Mojokerto.
A newer museum is also proposed for the area [5] and the location has been proposed as a World Heritage area [6][7]
Today the museum not only houses the archaeological relics from Majapahit era, but also collects and displays various archaeological relics discovered all over East Java. From the era of King Airlangga, Kediri, to the era of Singhasari and Majapahit. Large collections of Hindu-Buddhist stone sculptures as well as Majapahit Terracotta art also displayed in the museum.
Among the objects on display, include the famous portrait statue of Airlangga portrayed as Vishnu mounting Garuda, from Candi Belahan. A winged figure which is said to portray the legendary king of Blambangan, Menak Jinggo. A part of Candi recovered from a site at Ampelgading Malang. A statue displays the story Samodramanthana, or "The Churning of the Ocean of Milk" in finely carved relief.
Majapahit, also known as Wilwatikta was a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist thalassocratic empire in Southeast Asia that was based on the island of Java. It existed from 1293 to circa 1527 and reached its peak of glory during the era of Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 was marked by conquests that extended throughout Southeast Asia. His achievement is also credited to his prime minister, Gajah Mada. According to the Nagarakretagama written in 1365, Majapahit was an empire of 98 tributaries, stretching from Sumatra to New Guinea; consisting of present-day Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, southern Thailand, Timor Leste, southwestern Philippines although the scope of Majapahit sphere of influence is still the subject of debate among historians. The nature of Majapahit relations and influences upon its overseas vassals, and also its status as an empire are still provoking discussions.
East Java is a province of Indonesia located in the easternmost hemisphere of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern and southern coasts, respectively, while the narrow Bali Strait to the east separates Java from Bali. Located in eastern Java, the province also includes the island of Madura, as well as the Kangean islands and other smaller island groups located further east and Masalembu archipelagos in the north. Its capital is Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, a major industrial center and also a major business center. Banyuwangi is the largest regency in East Java and the largest on the island of Java.
Singhasari was a Javanese Hindu kingdom located in east Java between 1222 and 1292. The kingdom succeeded the Kingdom of Kediri as the dominant kingdom in eastern Java. The kingdom's name is cognate to Singosari district of Malang Regency, located several kilometres north of Malang city.
Hinduism has historically been a major religious and cultural influence in Java. In recent years, it has also been enjoying something of a resurgence, particularly in the eastern part of the island.
Kraton or keraton is a type of royal palace in Indonesia. Its name is derived from the Javanese ka-ratu-an, meaning residence of the ratu, the traditional honorific title for a monarch. In Java, the palace of a prince is called pura or dalem, while the general word for palace is istana, identical to Malay.
The Kingdom of Janggala is one of the two Javanese kingdoms that was formed when Airlangga abdicated his throne in favour of his two sons in 1045. The other Kingdom was Kediri. The Kingdom of Janggala comprised the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Kahuripan.
Kediri is an Indonesian city, located near the Brantas River in the province of East Java on the island of Java. It covers an area of 63.40 km2 and had a population of 268,950 at the 2010 Census and 286,796 at the 2020 Census. It is one of two 'Daerah Tingkat II' that have the name 'Kediri'. The city is administratively separated from the Regency, of which it was formerly the capital.
A candi is a Hindu or Buddhist temple in Indonesia, mostly built during the Zaman Hindu-Buddha or "Hindu-Buddhist period" between circa the 4th and 15th centuries.
Surawana is a Hindu temple, of the Majapahit Kingdom, located in the Canggu village of the Kediri near Pare district in East Java, Indonesia. It was believed to have been built in 1390 AD as a memorial to Wijayarajasa, the Prince of Wengker. As of today the temple is not fully intact. Only the base of the temple has been restored to its original form and many more bricks are waiting around the structure to be reassembled.
The National Museum of Indonesia, is an archeological, historical, ethnological, and geographical museum located in Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, right on the west side of Merdeka Square. Popularly known as the Elephant Museum after the elephant statue in its forecourt. Its broad collections cover all of Indonesia's territory and almost all of its history. The museum has endeavoured to preserve Indonesia's heritage for two centuries.
Trowulan is an archaeological site in Trowulan Subdistrict, Mojokerto Regency, in the Indonesian province of East Java. It includes approximately 100 square kilometres and has been theorized to be the site of the eponymous capital city of the Majapahit Empire, which is described by Mpu Prapanca in the 14th-century poem Nagarakretagama and in a 15th-century Chinese source. When it was the capital of the Majapahit Empire, the city was known as Wilwatikta, which is a name also synonymous with the empire's name. It was razed during the invasion of Girindrawardhana to defeat Kertabhumi in 1478. After this event Majapahit's capital was moved to Daha (Kediri). The Trowulan Museum includes a collection of artifacts.
Penataran or Panataran is one of the largest Hindu temple ruins complex in East Java, Indonesia. It is located roughly 12 km northeast of Blitar, with the closest airport being farther away at Malang. Believed to have been constructed between the 12th century to the 15th century, the temple played a significant role in the Majapahit Kingdom, especially under King Hayam Wuruk. He considered his favorite sanctuary. Penataran dates from the Kediri era.
Surya Majapahit is the emblem commonly found in ruins dated from the Majapahit era. The emblem commonly took the form of an eight-pointed sun ray with the rounded part in the center depicting Hindu deities. The emblem might have taken the form of a cosmological diagram haloed by typical sun rays, or a simple circle with typical sun rays. Because of the popularity of the Surya emblem during the Majapahit era, it has been suggested that may have served as the imperial symbol of the Majapahit empire.
Jawi temple is a syncretic Hindu-Buddhist candi (temple) dated from late 13th century Singhasari kingdom. The temple is located on the eastern slope of Mount Welirang, Candi Wates village, Kecamatan Prigen, Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia, approximately 31 kilometers west of Pasuruan city or 41 kilometers south of Surabaya. The temple located on the main road between Kecamatan Pandaan – Kecamatan Prigen and Pringebukan. The temple was thought to be a Hindu-Buddhist place of worship, however the temple actually was dedicated as mortuary temple to honor King Kertanegara, the last king of Singhasari. It is believed that the ashes of the late king were also placed in two more temples, the Singhasari temple and Jago temple.
Singhasari temple or Candi Singhasari is a 13th-century syncretic Hindu temple located in Singosari district, Malang Regency, East Java in Indonesia.
Prajñāpāramitā of Java refer to a famous depiction of Bodhisattvadevi Prajñāpāramitā, originated from 13th century Singhasari, East Java, Indonesia. The statue is of great aesthetical and historical value, and is considered as the masterpiece of classical Hindu-Buddhist art of ancient Java. Today, the statue is one of the prized collection of the National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta.
Candi bentar, or split gateway, is a classical Javanese and Balinese gateway entrance commonly found at the entrance of religious compounds, palaces, or cemeteries in Indonesia. It is basically a candi-like structure split perfectly in two to create a passage in the center for people to walk through. The passage is usually elevated with a flight of stairs to reach it. A candi bentar is commonly found in Java, Bali, and Lombok.
Paduraksa, also known as kori is a type of gateway covered with towering roof that can be found in the island of Java and Bali, Indonesia. This architectural feature is commonly found in buildings from the classical Hindu-Buddhist period of Indonesia. Paduraksa marks the threshold into the most sacred space within a religious compound, a cemetery, or a palace. In Balinese architecture, an elaborately decorated towering paduraksa is often built as the temple's most imposing structure.
The archaeology of Indonesia is the study of the archaeology of the archipelagic realm that today forms the nation of Indonesia, stretching from prehistory through almost two millennia of documented history. The ancient Indonesian archipelago was a geographical maritime bridge between the political and cultural centers of Ancient India and Imperial China, and is notable as a part of ancient Maritime Silk Road.
Sumberawan is a Buddhist stupa located in Toyomarto village, Sumberawan subdistrict, Malang Regency, East Java, Indonesia. The stupa is located in the highlands, on the southern slope of Mount Arjuno, surrounded by numerous Springs.
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