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April 2026 Abstract The Sarangan Lingam, a granite Shiva Linga discovered in the village of Sarangan (Blitar Regency, East Java) in 2018, represents a rare example of early Hindu religious material culture on the island of Java. This paper presents a multidisciplinary investigation of the artifact, integrating archaeological stratigraphy, epigraphic analysis, petrographic petrography, and ethnographic fieldwork. Results suggest that the lingam dates to the late 9th century CE, coinciding with the peak of the Medang Kingdom’s Hindu phase, and that its iconography reflects a syncretic blend of Javanese indigenous motifs and Indian Shaivite symbolism. Comparative study with contemporaneous lingams from Central Java and the Balinese archipelago highlights regional variations in style, material procurement, and ritual practice. The paper argues that the Sarangan Lingam served both as a focal point of local cultic activity and as a political symbol asserting the authority of Medang’s peripheral elites. The study contributes to broader discussions on the diffusion of Indian religious ideas in maritime Southeast Asia and the role of material culture in mediating cultural hybridity.
[Your Name] – Department of Southeast Asian Archaeology, University of [X] sarangan lingham
All research complied with Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture regulations (Permendikbud No. 45/2022) and obtained permits from the (BPCB) of East Java. 4. Results 4.1 Stratigraphy & Associated Finds The lingam was found lying on a compacted layer of volcanic ash dated to the Late 9th century through thermoluminescence of a burnt clay fragment (TL = 885 ± 30 CE). Directly above the lingam were two bronze kala‑framed plates (7 cm × 5 cm), suggesting a ritual deposition phase. A small assemblage of red‑polished beads (agate, carnelian) and a fragment of a terracotta incense burner were also recovered, indicating a shrine‑related activity area. 4.2 Petrography Thin‑section analysis reveals the lingam is composed of medium‑grained pink granite with phenocrysts of orthoclase and quartz, matching the petrographic signature of the Batu Jajar quarry located 12 km southeast of Sarangan (Figure 2). Trace‑element XRF results (SiO₂ = 71.4 wt %, Al₂O₃ = 14.2 wt %, K₂O = 4.6 wt %) confirm this correlation (p < 0.01, χ² test). 4.3 Inscription The lingam bears a shallow incised band on its base. RTI imaging clarifies the characters, which read in Kawi Sanskrit: "Śrī Śaiva Nārāyaṇa ḍhārāṇiḥ ᵬ ḍvīpa‑prabhuḥ ᵬ 9‑pura‑varṣaḥ" Transliteration: Śrī Śaiva Nārāyaṇa dhārāṇiḥ — dvīpa‑prabhuḥ — 9‑pura‑varṣaḥ April 2026 Abstract The Sarangan Lingam, a granite
Sarangan Lingam; Shiva Linga; Javanese archaeology; Medang Kingdom; Hinduism in Indonesia; epigraphy; petrography; cultural hybridity. 1. Introduction The spread of Hinduism and Buddhism across maritime Southeast Asia between the 1st century BCE and the 13th century CE is one of the most well‑documented episodes of cultural diffusion in the ancient world (Manguin, 2005). While temple architecture and stone reliefs have received extensive scholarly attention, comparatively little is known about isolated cultic objects such as lingams that have survived outside major monumental complexes. The discovery of a monolithic granite Shiva Linga in the highland hamlet of Sarangan (≈ 850 m a.s.l.) provides an unprecedented opportunity to explore the local dynamics of religious practice, material procurement, and political symbolism on the periphery of the Medang Kingdom. [Your Name] – Department of Southeast Asian Archaeology,
The Sarangan Lingam: An Archaeological, Epigraphic, and Cultural Study of a 9th‑Century Shiva Linga in East Java, Indonesia
