Ethnomathematical objects can be found in artifacts in the form of historical buildings. One of the historical buildings in Kotagede, Yogyakarta, Indoensia, is the Cepuri Beteng. The purpose of this research is an exploration any mathematical concepts contained in Beteng Cepuri that can be used as a source of learning mathematics as an effort to develop ethnomathematics for learning elementary mathematics. The researchers invited the 5th graders of an elementary school in Kotagede, nearby the Cepuri Beteng, to explore and understand mathematical concepts. The results showed that there was a relationship between the construction of the fort building and the concept of building space in several parts of the Cepuri Beteng. The sections are in the form of blocks, and rectangles. Taking the students to visualize the artifacts may assist them to build 3D shape recognition. It can be described that ethnomathematics is able to provide a very good interest in learning followed by concept acquisition.
Read full abstract