Candi Kimpulan (Central Java, Indonesia): Architecture and Consecration Rituals of a 9th-Century Hindu Temple

Abstract

In December 2009, remains of a small Śiva sanctuary were found buried under several metres of volcanic material in the village of Kimpulan, on the southern slope of Mount Merapi. This discovery provides us with an unexpected glimpse into the architectural tradition and the ritual life of a 9th-century Javanese rural community. Not only is Kimpulan an exceptional example of mixed-materials architecture, but its relatively good state of preservation brings new clues to a recurring issue in Javanese archaeology: the function of secondary shrines in Śaiva context. The most remarkable find of the Kimpulan excavations certainly is the eighteen undisturbed ritual deposits discovered beneath the pavement and under the statues. This article presents and discusses these data, linking the Kimpulan deposits with two rituals known from Indian texts, namely the ratnanyāsa (installation of a statue/ liṅga) and the garbhanyāsa (temple consecration).