Travelistar: Pyramids of Java

Sukuh Pyramid, one that similar to Chichen Itza in Mexico

Punden Berundak, The Indonesian Pyramids

While Mexico has Yucatan Peninsula which is rich with ancient ruins of the Mayan civilization, Indonesia has Java Island where ruins of thousand years old civilization can be found. Javanese history can be traced from thousands years ago where kingdoms and empires once flourished and fell one after another. Hence, they left many signs of their existence in the form of Candi or ancient ruins and inscriptions in stones or other writing materials. Some of them are gigantic such as Borobudur and Prambanan temple complex. There is even much larger ruin in West Java called Gunung Padang. A megalith structure resembled pyramid shape.

One interesting fact between the Mayan and ancient Javanese civilization is that they have similar structure design, a truncated pyramid. There is one in particular, the ruins of Sukuh that looks exactly the same as those in Mayan ruins.

Most of the ruins found in Java are associated to spiritual values or served as a place of worship. Therefore, we can find a lot of religious images sculptured on the ruin's wall. The pre-historic spiritual beliefs in Indonesia were animism and dynamism, which have place of worship called “punden berundak”, the truncated pyramid. These structures, actually, represent the shape of mountain or volcanoes, a high place where ancient Gods and Goddesses reside in.

Two of remaining truncated pyramid structures are the ruins of Cetho and Sukuh. If the ruins of Cetho has lost its original structure, due to additional new structures built by local Balinese Hinduism residents. The Sukuh pyramid, on the other hand, has preserved its original shape. It even mentioned in Thomas Stamford Raffles monumental book, The History of Java. Said to be one of the most peculiar ancient ruins in Java.

The main truncated pyramid of Cetho

First level of Cetho Ruins

Sumerian figure statue on the Cetho Ruins entrance

Relief bass at Cetho ruins

Ruins of Cetho

I went to these two places last month, during the Hari Raya celebration holidays. I have been to Sukuh pyramid once, many years ago. It would be my first time visiting the ruin of Cetho. Yet it didn’t impress me when I was at Cetho. I, personally, like places in its original shape. For me, originality means preservation of history.

The way to Cetho is the same route to Sukuh Pyramid. Only that, Cetho is further and more challenging. Many steep road we need to go through, which for my friend is suffering. He had to get off the bike and walked uphill. The worst would be the last road going to entrance of the ruins.

Although Cetho is one of the ancient ruins built on Mt.Lawu slope. It is still being used as place of worship by local residents. They are Balinese people that hold Hinduism as their belief. Therefore, many additional Balinese style structures were added at this location. It is also served as recreational place for people from different regions.

First thing to see after walking the front steps are two statues of kneeling down person. What weird about the statue is that they don't represent a figure of Javanese or even Indonesian. Some references say that it resembles the figure of ancient Sumerian. The face with beard is not an ancient Javanese at all. It even has middle eastern nose shape with thick eyebrows. One other thing to notice is that its kneeling position, as if the person is from the inferior civilization. Kneeling position means to surrender or being afraid of or even to pay great respect to whomever the person in front. The question is to whom he's kneeling?

Then we will see a typical Balinese gates as the main entrance to the ruins that going to the first level. The ruins complex is divided into some terraces. There is nothing to see at the first terrace, the gate itself is so instagramable. If we are lucky to be here at sunset, we would get a beautiful shot. Another short steps going to the next terrace that has supposedly two semi pyramid ruins, one is already gone which only leave a mound of land covered in green grass. The other one is already restored and put additional wooden roof. On the third terrace, we will see a stone formation that resembles Linggam and Yoni, the man and women's genital, in the center of the yard. Some stone carving with "Surya" symbol, the Majapahit empire official symbol. Next terrace we can find stone blocks with relief bass and two guardian statues one headless and another one has face similar to the one on the entrance.

The next 2 levels, walled in stones, only consist of wooden roof resting places and places for deity statues. On the top level, that has little space, is where the main temple reside. The one in truncated pyramid, only that it looks new. The steps were very narrow, the crowd had to wait for turn either going up or going down. This ruins has gone into a touristic place, like those temples in Bali. It has only small portion of its originality.

Closer view of Sukuh Pyramid

Main gate at Sukuh Pyramid

Sculptures at Sukuh resembles Egyptian Mithology

Curly hair monster

Ruins of Sukuh Pyramid

So then we continue our journey to the Sukuh Pyramid. I never thought that ruins of Cetho was this far. We had to ride back to the same route going to Karanganyar Regency. Until one turn we needed to go left. Only 15 minutes from the turn we will find The Sukuh Pyramid Complex. As I said, I've been here before, and it seems not to change at all.

The Sukuh Pyramid is also divided into 3 terraces, with unique gates on every terrace. First is the main entrance with huge gates. On the center of the gate sculptured the so called Kalamangkara, figure of monster that guarding the gate in ancient ruins. It has 2 Kalamangkara, one on the front and the other one facing back. Those two don't match to other Kalamangkara sculptures in any ancient ruins found in Java. On both sides of the main gate we can find "Sengkala" or symbols of years in form of figures in story, just like hieroglyph of Egypt. One on the left says "Gapura Buta Aban Wong" literally means the gate of giant devouring man, each word represent a number which are 9, 5, 3, 1. So it was thought to be built in year 1359 Chaka or 1437AD. On the right says "Gapuro Buto Anuhut Buntut" meaning the gate of giant devouring snake's tail.

In History of Java, Raffles mentions the Sukuh Pyramid in a sub-chapter of the Antiquity chapter. He explains that we cannot neglect that sculptures on Sukuh Pyramid to be comparable to those in Egyptian Mythology:

"It was impossible to reflect on the design of this sculptures, without being forcibly struck with their reference to the ancient worship of Egypt. The form of the gateway itself, and of all the ruins within our view, was pyramidal. In the monster devouring the child we were reminded of Typhon; in the dog, of Anubis; in the stork, of the Ibis: the tree, too, seemed to be the palm, by which the Egyptian designated the year; the pigeon, the hawk, the immense serpents, were all symbols of Egyptian worship. (History of Java; page 50, Thomas Stamford Raffles)

Linggam and Yoni in entrance gate's floor

Kalamangkara in peculiar form

Stone Incription behind the Man-bird statue

View from the first gate

Inside the gate there is the sculpture of Linggm and Yoni on its floor. The archaeologist believe that this temple complex served as a place of cleansing ritual, or the Javanese usually call it as "Ruwatan". As we arrived at the first terrace, there is nothing but view stone blocks with relief bass. On the second terrace there is no any sculpture stones or whatsoever, we can only see the disfigured small guardian statues on the damaged gate. Third terrace is the main level where the pyramidal structure reside in.

Surrounding the Pyramid, there are some other structures. On the left, there is an open chamber with relief of some bird-man, one with sharp claws and wide open wings, the other one carrying serpent and tortoise on its claw. A relief picturing a womb of a mother with two figures inside and relief of a "punakawan" or one of Javanese "wayang" figure performing cleansing ritual to a giant.

In front of the pyramid, there are giant tortoise statues served as an altar and a smaller pyramidal structure with statue of deity inside and seems to be dwarfs and giant relief carved on its wall. A statue of a headless little man holding his big genital is also found nearby. On the left is an obelix with figure of Siva holding "Trisula" on both hands. The peculiar thing about this Siva figure is that it has mustache on the face. I never find Hindu deity or god of Javanese ancient statue, Siva to be particular, to have mustache like this one.

On the main level yard, we can also find statues of headless bird-man, believed to be statue of Garuda, the Hindu mythology of bird-man in Ramayana story. One with perfect human legs, another one has claws on its feet. As my observation, I do not recognize it as the Garuda, especially one with human legs. It looks more to Horus in Egyptian mythology or Annunaki of ancient Sumerian.

Truncated Pyramid structure

Man-bird and womb relief

Statue of headless man holding genital

Relief of dwarfs and giants

Relief depicting Blacksmith and dancing Ganesh

Sculpture of monster carrying horn and small inscription

Many relief bass stone blocks are also found in the yard, they are on the left corner. The relief bass telling story of Sudamala. The Sudamala in Hindu's scripture telling a story of Sadewa performing cleansing ritual to the Durga Goddess whom at that time cursed into female Giant and cast away in the jungle of Setra Gandamayu.

Theories of the Pyraimds

Many figures and ornaments on Sukuh pyramid showing mans and woman's genitals. This due to the reason of the temple to be built, which is for cleansing ritual. This makes this ancient ruins well-known as the most erotic in Indonesia. The archaeologist suggest that this temple complex was built during the fall of Majapahit Empire in 15th CE. As shown in the gate Sengkala, which is in 1437AD. They explain how the shape has come into simply pyramidal, while other older ancient ruins are beautifully crafted following the Hindu guidance in building temples. They say that once the empire declined, the more ancient belief appeared on the surface and mixed to the religion. Which have the place of worship simply pyramidal. So they built the temple according to more ancient belief.

I, on the other hand, having theory of my own. The original temple or ruins was built a very long time ago, where the Javanese still embraced Animism and Dynamism. As I said before, these beliefs has their own altar or place of worship in form of "Punden Berundak" or Pyramidal structures. Then came the Hindu people settled in the surrounding area and found the pyramid. The Hindu people believed that some places are sacred, especially those with ancient ruins. So they make this ruins as their own place of worship by adding Hinduism aspect on some part of the complex without changing the grand design of the original ruins. For whatever the theory is, this Pyramid complex is all peculiar in many aspect. Resembling the very old Javanese culture. It is the Pyramid of ancient Maya civilization found in deep jungle of Mt.Lawu slope.