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Archaeologists surveying the Prambanan Temple complex in
Yogyakarta hours after Saturday's devastating earthquake found
extensive damage to the ancient site.
Stone blocks and statues lay scattered about the ground; decades of
patient restoration work undone in less than a minute.
"Our initial survey of the site found wreckage at the Siwa, Wisnu and
Brahma temples, as well as at several minor temples," Yogyakarta
Archaeological Conservation Agency head Agus Waluyo told The Jakarta
Post on Saturday.
He said a thorough study was necessary to determine if the temples'
foundations were damaged in the quake.
"We need to make sure the earth under the temples will not cause the
structures to subside," Agus said.
Prambanan Temple was constructed by the rulers of the Sanjaya Dynasty,
in a display of their power and influence in the ninth century.
But power struggles, volcanic explosions and earthquakes took their
toll on the complex, so when the Dutch "discovered" the site in 1733 it
was in urgent need of restoration. Work on the temples began in 1903
and continued until 1991.
"This time around, I don't think the restoration will be finished in
six months," Agus said.
The land around Yogyakarta is also home to Borobudur, Kalasan, Sari and
other holy temples, constructed by the rulers of the ancient Javanese
kingdoms.
Yogyakarta and its people are the keepers of ancient traditions, and
the city is home to a royal family that can trace its line back to the
Mataram era in the 16th century.
The city survived with most of its culture and traditions intact
through Dutch colonial rule, and served as the capital of a newly
independent Indonesia between 1945 and 1950.
Saturday's earthquake has left this usually laid-back city in shambles,
with many of its residents left without homes or afraid to return to
their houses.
There is no friendly banter between shoppers and vendors along Jl.
Malioboro, a favorite shopping destination for both locals and tourists
alike. Only the rubble of collapsed buildings and smashed glass from
shops.
Near Malioboro, the ground is littered with slate from the roof of the
former Dutch fort Vredeburg, though its thick walls stand undamaged.
Yogyakarta Palace was not totally spared. While the residence of the
current sultan, Hamengku Buwono X, who is also the governor, escaped
with only minor cracks to its walls, part of the Hamengku Buwono IX
Museum collapsed during the quake.
The collapsed building housed an ancient set of gamelan instruments
used for weddings. In the same compound, a building housing carriages
used by former rulers suffered cracks to its walls.
Agus said a more extensive survey of the damage to the city's ancient
heritage would be conducted Monday.
"We are still in shock after the earthquake," he said.
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