Archaeologists from the Archaeology Office of Yogyakarta and the Central Java Cultural Heritage Preservation Center are currently researching an ancient inscription found in Temanggung in Central Java.

According to the Head of the Archaeology Office of Yogyakarta, Sugeng Riyanto, the inscription, found by construction workers, contains a story in Kawi letters.

The Kawi script is a Brahmi script that was used in Southeast Asia from 8 to 16 century AD. While this script was mainly used in Java and Bali in Indonesia, some inscriptions in Kawi have also been found in Philippines.

“We are now deciphering the inscription. Until now, we have found that it was written in 784 Saka, or 862 AD,” Riyanto said.

He added that a part of the story written in this Ancient Mataram had been lost to the vagaries of nature. Even though they are yet to decipher the inscription, they can relate it to many others from the same period. There are other inscriptions, such as Pikatan and Gondosuli, which belong to the same era.

“We do not know whether the inscription has anything to do with the others (from the era). We will figure it out once we read the writings,” Riyanto stated.

He explained that application method was used to inscribe it. In this method, a piece of paper is stuck on the inscription and smeared by inks.

“The inscription was made on white andesite rock,” he noted.

An archaeologist from the research team, Agni Cesaria Muchtar, added that the first line of the writing states, “wasti cakawarsa tita,” which means welfare of the past Saka year.

The word “Kawi” translates to poet in Sanskrit.