The Sultanate of Banten was one of the largest coastal settlement in the Malay Archipelago in the mid 2nd millennium, its spectacular rise and demise signals the end of a series of the port cities that once monopolized the trade in Southeast Asian produce and natural resources. Today ruins of the famous palaces and fortifications from the golden age of Banten are still visible and visited by thousands of tourists every year. Surprisingly, comparatively little archaeological research has been undertaken at this once power trading emporium.
The archaeological investigations at Banten Lama is a collaboration between the Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Arkeologi Nasional Indonesia (National Centre for Archaeology), the Department of Southeast Asian Studies National University of Singapore, and Department of Archaeology Boston University. Beginning in 2009, three annual seasons have since been conducted and the team plans to continue investigation work over the next few years.
Archaeology in Banten Lama 