Recent Archaeological Surveys in the Northern Half of Sumatra

Abstract

This article presents observations collected during two fieldtrips conducted in 2019 on old settlement and associated sites dated prior to the sixteenth century CE in the North Sumatra Province, and in the adjacent areas of West Sumatra and Riau provinces. The Barus area on the west coast recently yielded numerous old Islamic inscribed tombstones, including one bearing an inscription in Indic script. This tombstone is stylistically similar to a tombstone we found in 2003 in the same graveyard. As both bear a very close date in 1350 CE, we suggest that they belong to the same grave, and that the deceased may have connections with the Minangkabau area and Pasai. Several places were visited along the west coast down to Natal and the Candi Simangambat area. Further south, the surveys led us to several sites in the Pasaman district which shelters a number of little known Hindu-Buddhist remains. Muara Takus and Tapak Mahligai in Riau, as well as several sites in the Medan area were also visited to collect information and observe their present state of preservation.