Old Sundanese Metals (Part 3: Writing Supprots)
An old Sundanese text, Sanghyang Sasana Maha Guru,, mentioned ten types of writing support based on its material. They called as "Dasawredi"
An old Sundanese text, Sanghyang Sasana Maha Guru,, mentioned ten types of writing support based on its material. They called as "Dasawredi"
The first five are metals, as mentioned:
"Sastra munggu dina omas,
sastra munggu ring salaka,
sastra munggu ring tambaga,
sastra munggu ring cundiga,
sastra munggu ring beusi,"
"Sastra munggu dina omas,
sastra munggu ring salaka,
sastra munggu ring tambaga,
sastra munggu ring cundiga,
sastra munggu ring beusi,"
"The writing on gold,
writing on solver,
writing on copper,
writing on steel,
writing on iron,"
writing on solver,
writing on copper,
writing on steel,
writing on iron,"
While the rest five are stone, wood, bamboo, 'taal' (palmyra; Borassus sp.), and 'gebang' (talipot, Corypha sp.),
"...sastra munggu ring batu,
sastra munggu ring padung,
sastra munggu ring pejwa,
sastra munggu ring taal,
sastra munggu ring gebang."
"...sastra munggu ring batu,
sastra munggu ring padung,
sastra munggu ring pejwa,
sastra munggu ring taal,
sastra munggu ring gebang."
The difference between two kind of palms: taal (Borassus) and gebang (Corypha), has been discussed by @siwaratrikalpa. But I assure you both are extant until now!
You can see them on @bl_eap project here eap.bl.uk/project/EAP280
You can see them on @bl_eap project here eap.bl.uk/project/EAP280
Now let's discuss about the metals for writing support. The first is gold. Sanghyang Sasana Maha Guru (SSMG) mentioned the characteristic features of this gold writing support.
Text:
"Sastra munggu ring omas dingaranan premita mirah kañcana. Hadé rua hadé geusanna, kéna sui diteudeunan diña."
Translation:
"the writing on golds, called 'permata mirah kancana', the result is beautiful, because it is restricted to be collected."
"Sastra munggu ring omas dingaranan premita mirah kañcana. Hadé rua hadé geusanna, kéna sui diteudeunan diña."
Translation:
"the writing on golds, called 'permata mirah kancana', the result is beautiful, because it is restricted to be collected."
There is an interesting artifact found in the Candi Blandongan site at West Java (dated from 2-12th century AD), a small thin gold plate with some writings, probably a Buddhist mantra.
image source: BPCB Banten
image source: BPCB Banten
Because of a special features of gold as mentioned before, so there is another one.
"Sugan mwa réya na ñahwa, ña mana diturunkeun deui, sastra mnggu ring salaka, dingaranan ta ya kanaka."
"maybe you can't know it, then it's made again, writing on silver, it's called kanaka,"
"Sugan mwa réya na ñahwa, ña mana diturunkeun deui, sastra mnggu ring salaka, dingaranan ta ya kanaka."
"maybe you can't know it, then it's made again, writing on silver, it's called kanaka,"
As far as I know, there is no finding yet for this type of writing support that has come down to us. But this makes me even more curious, and there may be records in the journals of foreign explorers who have had contact with Sundanese in the past?
I just realized the opening post has a typo, I'm sorry for that :).
