Batu-Tulis Ciaruteun (Stone Inscription)

Batu-Tulis Ciaruteun (Stone Inscription)

One of the oldest kingdoms of Indonesia, the Hinduism Tarumanagara from the 5th century, was probably located near Bogor. In the area a number of inscriptions has been found, under them a remarkable one, which still can be seen in Ciampea, 15 km west of the city, approximately two kilometers Southwest of the botanical gardens It's a big stone in a riverbank, which contains several lines of Indian style inscriptions, and two king-size footprints, which should have been from the conqueror and king Purnawarman. This inscription tells about the influence of king Surawisesa of Pajajaran in 1533, an important Hindu-king. This inscription is used Sanskrit language.

A replica of the stone can be found in the Fatahillah Museum in Jakarta. The name of the kingdom seems to have close ties with the river, which runs through the Bandung Basin east of Bogor to the coast, Citarum River. Because the inscriptions were found here, the historians concluded the capital of Tarumanagara should have been here, also because it's a good place for defense, and it also provides entry to the fertile hinterlands and the nearby trading harbors at the Sunda Strait.

The site is located on the bank of the Ciaruteun river in Ciampea village which can be reached by driving along the 9-kilometer road from Bogor to Ciampea followed by going on foot for about two kilometers.