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67 The Kota Rentang Excavations Chapter 6 The Kota Rentang Excavations E. Edwards McKinnon, Naniek Harkantiningsih Wibisono, Heddy Surachman, Sarjiyanto, Stanov Purnawibowo, Lim Chen Sian and Benjamin Vining Abstract The Kota Rentang site, located at some 12km from the modern coastline, at the junction of coastal tidal swamp lands and the higher ground of the Deli plain is an indigenous habitation site dating from approximately the 12th through the 16th centuries CE. Prior to the discovery of Kota Rentang in 1971, very few Islamic grave markers were known in the Deli region of northeastern Sumatra. Almost one hundred slab-type grave markers have been identified at this site, though several imposing batu Aceh markers seen when the site was first found have since disappeared. It is a site that reflects a period of transition from pre-Islamic to Islamic culture on the northeastern coast of Sumatra. There is impressive preservation of organic materials and a wide range of imported ceramic materials from China, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam as well as earthenware both local and from elsewhere. Kota Rentang may be associated with the former polity of Aru known to have existed in this region prior to its destruction by Aceh in the early 16th century. Introduction A joint team consisting of the National Archaeology Research and Development Centre, Jakarta, National University of Singapore, Asia Research Institute and Boston University undertook a two week field survey and excavation at Kota Rentang, Kecamatan Hamperan Perak, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra province in April 2008. This initiative provided the opportunity to apply Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and magnetometer surveys coordinated with archaeological test excavations for one of the first times in island Southeast Asia. This rural lowland site, located at N 03º 44’ 337’’, E 98º 35’ 345 ’’ at the interface between tidal swamp lands and higher ground, now largely converted to seasonal rice fields, has proved to be both extensive and complex (see Figure 5.1 in Erond Damanik and Edwards McKinnon, in this volume). According to local informants, the Kota Rentang site (the Malay name means “dispersed”, “spread out”) appears to relate also to contemporary locations in the neighboring villages of Desa Lama (meaning “old”, “ancient”), Kota Datar and Pulau Manan. Eleven locations over an extensive area of up to 600ha, all with early Islamic grave markers (batu Aceh, literally “grave stones”) have been identified within the boundaries of Kota Rentang village itself. The village is now, however, officially named Kota Rantang, a misnomer based on the word rantang, a “food container”, due to influence from incomers over the past 30 years. Key locations within the site itself include numerous small islands of higher ground between abandoned river channels in addition to the three main channels currently draining an area that is now predominantly seasonal rice fields (sawah) that usually dry out between monsoons. A significant feature of the site, due to the high water table and anaerobic conditions, is the exceptional preservation of organic materials including vegetative matter, bones and shellfish remains. Ceramic materials, including earthenwares, are also well preserved. Additionally, a number of large bricks have been recovered as surface finds and well-preserved wooden posts located. 67 Connecting Empires hi res combin67 67 8/24/2012 9:45:41 PM 68 E. EDWARDS MCKINNON et al. Villagers report the existence of at least one, possibly two, ancient hulks, the location of one of which has already been identified where a large ijuk (palm fibre) fibre rope was found in 1972. Local informants also suggest that a platform of bricks may survive beneath the ground surface of the sawah or wet rice fields at some as yet undetermined distance north of Pulau Mojopahit. The likelihood of this is suggested by the recovery of several large, well-made bricks and numerous brick fragments in and around the area investigated in April 2008. Our investigations in 2008 were designed to provide a provisional inventory of the classes of archaeological materials found in the vicinity of Kota Rentang village, and to conduct intensive geophysical survey and test excavations that focused on the archaeological materials at Pulau Mojopahit. Canal dredging in the wet areas adjacent to Pulau Mojopahit uncovered significant ceramic finds dating to the late medieval occupation of Southeast Asia. Similar materials have been excavated at nearby Kota Cina, and indicate an extensive occupation of the coastal region predominantly during the 12th–15th centuries that was intimately connected with trading networks throughout Insular and Mainland Southeast Asia. Kota Rentang consequently is...

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