Ancient Temple Unearthed By Construction Crew in Bali

The Jakarta Globe, Thu, October 25, 2012


Denpasar. Construction workers in Bali stumbled across what archeologists believe may be the island’s largest temple, an official said on Wednesday.

Workers were digging a new drainage basin near a Hindu learning center on Jalan Trengguli, in East Denpasar, when their tools struck a large stone structure one meter underground.

The crew excavated a large stone plate, the first of many discovered at the site.

“I immediately reported the finding to the [local] archeology office,” Ida Resi Bujangga, the owner of the center, said on Wednesday.

The Denpasar Archeology Agency took over the excavation and have uncovered an 11-meter-long structure.

“We will continue the excavation until [the whole structure is revealed],” said Wayan Suantika, an official with the agency.

Suantika told reporters that, judging by the square structure’s similarity to ancient temples found in East Java, it likely dates back to the 14th Century.

“The strengthener layers in between the stone plates were another characteristic usually found in 13th or 14th Century [structures],” he said.

Local residents also found ceramic wares and stone plates at the site, Suantika said.

This discovery is the largest stone temple found in Bali, he said. The Wasa Temple, which was uncovered in Gianyar in 1986, is 11 meters long and 10 meters wide.

Bali archeologists later found buried 16 sarcophaguses in 2010 in Gianyar.