| Site Description | The site (MAHS-IDN-ACH-BNA-BTR-S-001) was formerly part of the palace grounds of the Aceh sultanate. Its was largely destroyed by an invading Dutch force in 1874. Four stone structures, however, remain standing to this day: The Gunongan, Kandang, Patarana Stone, and Pinto Khob. The Gunongan, Kandang, and Patarana Stone are all in very close proximity to one another, while the Pintu Khob is a little further away to the northeast, now separated from the site of the other three by a modern street. In the 17th century, however, all four structures were part of a landscaped area of the palace with a stream (Krueng Daroy) running through it. But the condition of the landscape has undergone many changes since then and is now incorporated into the modern construction of the city of Banda Aceh.
The Gunongan (MAHS-IND-ACH-BNA-S-001-F-0001) is one of the few surviving structures from the former palace grounds of the Aceh Sultanate. It is an open structure building with ten sides, and has three levels. This massive building is built of stone, sand, brick, and lime mortar. The entrance building is oriented toward the southwest. The base of every exterior corner is ornamented with a single large trefoil design. Floral ornamentation is also found on the corners of the upper level, featuring an Acehnese pucok reubong motif. |
| Project Description | The Maritime Asia Heritage Survey works to systematically inventory and digitally document the endangered cultural heritage in the Maldives, Indonesia, and elswhere across the region. The materials documented through this work are critically endangered, facing both natural and human threats that jeopardize the survival and accessibility of historical information for this vital node in pre-modern global economic and religious networks at the cross-roads of an interconnected Indian Ocean world. The data made available here was collected by our Field Team using FARO Focus S350 Lidar scanner, Nikon D750 DSLR, and DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone, DJI Matrice 300RTK with ZenMuse L1 and P1 payloads. |