Saruaso II inscription, Ancient inscription stele in Tanjung Emas, Indonesia.
The Saruaso II stele is a stone with carvings on both sides made from brown quartz sandstone. The surface holds engraved text and decorative images that rise nearly 110 centimeters high and span about 75 centimeters wide.
The stone dates from the 14th century during King Adityawarman's reign. It was moved from its original location near the Indo Jalito Building in Batusangkar to its present location.
The stone combines Old Javanese script with Sanskrit text and features ornamental designs of coiled snakes and fierce heads with prominent fangs on both sides. These mixed elements show how different artistic and linguistic traditions met during that era.
The stele sits in the courtyard of the former Monuments Preservation Department office within the Fort van der Capellen area in Batusangkar. You will find it in a protected outdoor space open during regular hours.
The engraved text mentions Prince Ananggawarman and his devotion to Tantric Buddhism, pointing to esoteric Buddhist practices in 14th-century Sumatra. This religious connection shows how deeply eastern spiritual traditions ran through that region.
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