Jakarta, IO – Researchers from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) discovered a new inscription at the Bongal Site, North Sumatra. The inscription, which contains prayers and mantra, is estimated to be from the 7th to 11th centuries AD.
According to brin.go.id, Wed (29/11), researcher Ery Soedewo said that when viewed paleographically, the inscription was written in Pallawa Grantha and Post Pallawa scripts. Meanwhile, the language used is dominated by words related to the Austronesian language family, with insertions of words adopted from the Indo-Aryan language family, especially Sanskrit.
Meanwhile, researcher at the Research Center for Prehistoric and Historical Archeology, Lisda Meyanti, said the engraved decorative ornaments are also interpreted as a symbol of religious legitimacy and are proof of King Adityawarman’s obedience to study religion and teach the religions he embraced.
Read: Indonesia Supports Effort To Bring Israel To ICJ
“The mantras and prayers on the inscription plates come from the Batanghari, Musi and small rivers in the surrounding areas,” she explained.
In the 2019 Sumatran Tin Inscription catalog, the content consists of around 15 percent prayers and 20 percent mantras. The remaining are things that are termed sapatha, rules, rajah, yantra, expressions of feeling, isoteric, and many more that have not been identified. (bp)