ARCHAEOLOGY OF ROADS: A CASE STUDY OF THE 18TH-CENTURY SUROSOWAN–TASIKARDI OLD ROAD IN BANTEN LAMA AS THE SULTAN’S ROAD

Authors

Destian Pandu Dwicahyo Santoso Putro, Universitas IndonesiaFollow
Ghilman Assilmi, Universitas IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

Archaeological studies on roads in Indonesia remain relatively limited, although international research indicates that roads are not merely transportation infrastructure, but also embody social, political, and symbolic dimensions. A significant example is the ancient road in Banten Lama, which connects the Surosowan Palace with the artificial lake of Tasikardi. This study aims to present archaeological data and identify the distinctive characteristics of royal roads compared to common roads, applying a landscape archaeology approach within a post-processual paradigm. The research stages include data collection, processing, and interpretation through qualitative methods, encompassing literature review and field observation. The analysis shows that the Surosowan–Tasikardi road contains archaeological evidence reflecting the existence of a political entity with mastery of complex irrigation technology and structured road construction. It is concluded that the road functioned not only as a transportation route but also as a means of royal control over territories and resources, thus qualifying as a representative example of a “sultan’s road” in Indonesia.

Bahasa Abstract

Kajian arkeologi mengenai jalan di Indonesia masih relatif terbatas, meskipun penelitian internasional menunjukkan bahwa jalan tidak semata- mata berfungsi sebagai infrastruktur transportasi, melainkan juga memuat dimensi sosial, politik, dan simbolis. Salah satu contoh signifikan

adalah jalan kuno di Banten Lama yang menghubungkan Keraton Surosowan dengan danau buatan Tasikardi. Penelitian ini bertujuan menyajikan data arkeologis serta mengidentifikasi karakteristik khas jalan kerajaan dibandingkan jalan umum, dengan menerapkan pendekatan arkeologi lanskap dalam kerangka paradigma pascaprosesual. Tahapan penelitian meliputi pengumpulan, pengolahan, dan interpretasi data melalui metode kualitatif, mencakup kajian pustaka dan observasi lapangan. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa Jalan Surosowan–Tasikardi mengandung bukti arkeologis yang merefleksikan keberadaan entitas politik dengan penguasaan teknologi irigasi kompleks dan konstruksi jalan terstruktur. Disimpulkan bahwa jalan ini berfungsi tidak hanya sebagai jalur transportasi, tetapi juga sebagai sarana kontrol kerajaan atas wilayah dan sumber daya, sehingga layak dikategorikan sebagai “jalan sultan” yang representatif di Indonesia.

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Recommended Citation

Santoso Putro, Destian P, and Ghilman Assilmi. 2025. ARCHAEOLOGY OF ROADS: A CASE STUDY OF THE 18TH-CENTURY SUROSOWAN–TASIKARDI OLD ROAD IN BANTEN LAMA AS THE SULTAN’S ROAD. Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya 15, no. 3 (December). 10.17510/paradigma.v15i3.1872.