Chronology of the Formation of the Stair Punden and its Functions
Stepped pyramid – In Indonesia, some typical ancient buildings are thick with punden terraces. It turns out that this punden has a meaning and function that not many people know about.
Definition of Punden Stairs
Punden terraces have a meaning, namely terraces are a structure or building layout in the form of a terrace that is directed at one point where the position of the terrace is getting higher.
Such structures are often found in archaeological sites in Indonesia, so they are considered as one of the characteristics of the original culture of the archipelago.
Unfortunately, many do not know about the history of the terraced punden and its function.
The origin of the word pundn or pundian actually comes from the Javanese language. The word pepundèn, which means objects of worship, is similar in meaning to the concept of kabuyutan in Sundanese society.
The basic concept held is that the ancestors or worshiped parties are in high places which are usually located at the top of the mountain.
The term punden terraces emphasizes the function of worship or respect for ancestors, not only about the basic structure of the spatial layout.
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Punden terraces in the megalithic era were always three-storied which had its own meaning in accordance with the history of the terraced punden and its function.
The first level symbolizes life while still in the mother’s womb, the second level symbolizes life in the world and the third level symbolizes life after death.
The chronology of the formation of the terraced punden
Spatial punden terraces have been found at sites in ancient times ranging from the Megalithic, Neolithic, pre-Hindu-Buddhist cultures to the Austronesian peoples.
Punden terraces were also used in buildings from the next period even until the Islamic period entered the archipelago.
The spread of the history of punden terraces and their functions is recorded in the archipelago to Polynesia. Although in the Polynesian region it is not always in the form of steps, but it is still in a structure known as marae by the Maori.
The influx of religions from outside had diminished the practice of making punden terraces in several places in the archipelago, but there are indications of the adoption of this original element in buildings from later historical periods, as seen in Borobudur Temple, Cetho Temple and the Mataram Kings Cemetery Complex. in Imogiri.
As the original culture inherited from Indonesian ancestors, the punden terraces have been maintained until now.
Punden terraces are still used in the structure of the construction of places of worship in the form of temples, one of which is the Borobudur Temple. This is what makes the temples in Indonesia have a unique characteristic.
Not only acculturating with temples, punden terraces also acculturate with buildings where Muslims worship, namely mosques.
The terraced part of the mosque is often not realized because it is only considered a multi-level staircase.
If you pay attention to the terraced stairs that surround the mosque, it is actually in the form of a staircase. So, it can be said that the mosque was built on a staircase or punden terraces as the base of the mosque.
Functions of Punden Stairs
In ancient times, punden terraces had a function as a place to hold offerings by ancient people who were still animist and dynamist.
They do this with the aim of rejecting danger or some kind of disaster such as earthquakes, hurricanes, infectious diseases and asking for grace from the One such as asking for rain, asking for soil fertility and so on.
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Another function of the terraced punden is a medium of worship of ancestral spirits known as megalithic culture and developed in the neolithic era, the terraced punden is considered to be something that was inspired by the construction of temple buildings in the classical period in accordance with the history of the terraced punden and its function.
