MALANG - The East Java Cultural Conservation Preservation Center (BPCB) said the findings of the three statues at the Srigading Site were very important. The reason is that this is one of the findings of the oldest temples and historical objects in Malang and even East Java.
Archaeologist BPCB East Java Wicaksono Dwi Nugroho said, the findings of this temple became so important to explore ancient civilizations in the 9th and 10th centuries.
This temple was quite important in its time. According to this initial hypothesis, this temple has an ancient Mataram Shivaistic religious style, equipped with a pantheon like Prambanan Temple," said Wicaksono in a confirmation by MNC Portal, Monday. This is coupled with the discovery of three statues in the second excavation which took place from Monday (21/2/2022) to Sunday (27/2/2022). The last statue found was the Agastya statue which was found on the south side of the temple wall, on Sunday (27/2/2022). This statue has a height of 85 centimeters and was found in intact condition, without any fractures.
"The finding was at a distance of one meter from the southern wall of the temple, the position was prone, slightly tilted. Found it last Sunday in the ruins attached to the temple wall, from the initial earthen mound about two meters," he said.
According to him, the excavation or excavation process was deliberately extended from the initial schedule, which was originally scheduled to be carried out until Saturday (26/2/2022). "We are continuing excavations on the south side because on Saturday it was delayed due to heavy rain," he said.In addition to the discovery of two statues, BPCB also found a number of other historical objects that are part of the temple. Objects such as a phallus in the middle below the yoni are 30 centimeters apart, 60 centimeters deep in the middle. Furthermore, there are some relief fragments, brick material, some shards of statue hands, pottery fragments, and porcelain fragments.
"Then there are three phallus stakes, and one cylindrical stone on the north side of the stairs. Everything was taken like a stone phallus, a niche threshold, fragments, reliefs, all of which were secured at the Singasari Museum. Three statues were secured by BPCB because there were some broken pieces. , the statue of Agastya has not been cleaned because yesterday it was half a day playing haul. So it was cleaned," he explained.Now continued Wicaksono, for the security of the temple building, his party has asked the Malang Regency Government to cooperate with the police to install a police line. This is to anticipate looting and illegal excavations carried out.
"The important thing is that visitors are not allowed to go up above the temple. Do not go up to the top of the temple, because the bricks are fragile. At the temple a police line has been installed so that there are no searches with metal detectors, illegal excavations," he concluded.
Monitoring of MNC Portal at the temple site the day after the excavation on Monday (28/2/2022), the temple building can be seen attached to a police line around the temple. Meanwhile, the cover previously installed during the excavation has been removed.
For information, BPCB East Java has carried out a two-stage excavation at the Srigading Site in Malang. The first excavation was carried out on 7 - 12 February 2022 where the first excavations dug the northern and western parts of the temple. During this excavation, the BPCB team found fragments of the reliefs and the pearl stone of the roof of the temple, which were found on the west side of the temple.
While the second excavation was carried out from Monday (21/2/2022) to Saturday (26/2/2022). In this second stage of excavation, BPCB East Java focused on opening the east and south sides of the temple. The findings are three statues of Nandaiswara, previously called Agastya, which were found on Tuesday (22/2/2022), and the Mahakala statue which was found on Friday (25/2/2022).
The third statue found was the Agastya statue which was found on Sunday (27/2/2022) yesterday. In addition to finding statues, BPCB also found a phallus in the middle of the temple, two stone niches, a temple threshold stone, and several relief ornaments, as well as other fracture fragments.
Now the second stage of excavation has been completed last Sunday (27/2/2022). It is planned that the third stage of excavation will be carried out in order to reveal the original land in the temple building.
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