Muaro Jambi Temple Compounds
Ancient Buddhist temples in Indonesia
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Through Buddhists, Temple and Chola dynasty
It was suggested that Muaro Jambi Temple compound might be the initial location of Srivijaya kingdom. This is mainly because, Muaro Jambi has far richer temple concentration—in contrast to the scarcity of archaeological sites in South Sumatra.
History
The start of the rise of the kingdom of Melayu can be dated to 1025 when Indian kingdom of Chola attacked and destroyed the capital of the Sumatran maritime empire of Srivijaya. This allowed a number of smaller Sumatran polities to expand their political and economic influence. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries it seems that from its river estuarine basis along the Batang Hari, Melayu became the dominant economic power in Sumatra. Muaro Jambi is estimated to have been built somewhere around 7th to 12th century CE, and the substantial archaeological remains suggest that this temple compound may have been the site of the Melayu capital. The city's age of glory came to an end in 1278 when Java's Singhasari kingdom attacked the city, even succeeding in capturing members of the royal family. The site was rediscovered by British soldier, S.C. Crooke in 1824. It is now protected as a national monument.
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Design and structures
The temple complex of Candi Muaro Jambi is spread out over a large area along the banks of the Batang Hari River. Eight temple complexes have been excavated but many more mounds and sites remain to be explored within the conservation area, much of which is still covered by thick jungle. The three most significant intact temples are known as Candi Tinggi, Candi Kedaton, and Candi Gumpung. The temples are built from red brick and unlike the temples of Java, feature very little ornamentation, carving, or statuary. A few pieces of sculpture are housed in a small, on-site museum. The wooden dwellings that are believed to have housed the city's population have all disappeared without a trace. Only 9 temples have been restored, 3 have mentioned above and the others are Candi Tinggi I, Candi Kembarbatu, Candi Gedong I, and Candi Gedong II.