Borobudur ship is the 8th century the wooden double outrigger sailed vessels of Maritime Southeast Asia depicted in some of bas reliefs of Borobudur buddhist monument in Central Java, Indonesia. The function of outrigger is to stabilize the ship, the single or double outrigger canoe is the typical feature of the sea faring Austronesians vessels and the most likely the type of vessel used for their voyages and exploration across Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Indian Ocean. The ships depicted on Borobudur was most likely the type of vessels used for inter-insular trades and naval campaign by Sailendran and Srivijayan thalassocracy empire that rules the region around 7th to 13th century.
Borobudur ship expedition
The bas reliefs of Borobudur is known to depict everyday life of 8th century ancient Java, from the courtly palace life to those of commoners in the village. It depicted temple, marketplace, architecture, flora and fauna, dress, jewelry and fashion, as well as mode of transportation such as palanquin, horse carriage and ship. In 1982, Philip Beale a briton sailor previously served for British Royal Navy, visited Borobudur to study traditional ships and marine traditions, he was fascinated with ten bas relief images of ancient vessels depicted on Borobudur. Since then he planned to reconstruct this ancient ship and reenacted the ancient maritime trade route. Working from very limited data — 5 stone carvings — Philip Beale plans to head an expedition team in reconstructing the ship and sailing it from Jakarta in Indonesia to Madagascar and then hopefully on around the Cape of Good Hope to the west coast of Africa.
Extensive research and design work has preceeded the building of the ship by a team of experienced Indonesian ship builders. The team are practiced in constructing ships using traditional building techniques. They are based in the Kangean Islands, some 60 miles north of Bali. Nick Burningham, an acknowledged expert on Indonesian watercraft and maritime archaeology, is supervising the building of the vessel. The ship was built by Assad Abdullah al-Madani, a seasoned Indonesian tradional ship builder and his men, with little more than a balsa wood model that Nick Burningham had created to help him. The vessel is named Samudra Raksa (defender of the seas) and was inaugurated in Benoa Harbor, Bali in 15 July 2003 by Minister for Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia I Gede Ardika together with Philippe Delanghe, UNESCO Office Jakarta Program Specialist for Culture.
The expedition took place during the 6 months from August 2003 until February 2004. Started in Tanjung Priok harbour, Jakarta on 30 August 2003, launched by President Megawati Sukarnoputri, and arrived in the port of Tema, Accra, Ghana on 23 February 2004. The epic voyage demonstrated ancient trading links between Indonesia and Africa (in particular East Africa and Madagascar). The treacherous Cinnamon shipping route took vessels from Indonesian waters across the Indian Ocean past the Seychelles, Madagascar, and South Africa to Ghana.
Today the Samudra Raksa ship is housed and displayed in Samudra Raksa Museum, located just a few hundred meters north of Borobudur temple within the complex of Borobudur Archaeological Park. The Ship Museum Samudra Raksa was opened by Coordinating Minister for Welfare Prof.Dr. Alwi Shihab of the Republic of Indonesia on 31 August 2005. A fitting tribute to the crew and all who worked with and supported the Borobudur Ship Expedition.
Wikipedia
Indonesia SG?