Jembrana, Bull Racing Center

Tracing Back the Balinese Culture Two Millennia Ago

Negara, the capital city of Jembrana Regency, situated at the westernmost region of Bali Island, does not only offer the allurement of Bali West National Park with its mascot ‘the Bali Starling’ (Leucopsar rothshildi), roaring sound of bamboo Jegog musical instrument and buffalo races. On paying a visit to this region, you will be able to observe the cultural greatness of its ancient Balinese community. All of these are well recorded at its Ancient Human Museum.

This museum is situated at Tanjung Hamlet, Gilimanuk municipality, Melaya sub district, Negara. It’s some 128 km west of Denpasar or some 200 meters east of Gilimanuk ferry harbour. Established in 1994, this museum is open daily with office hours at 08.00-16.00 Local Time.
According to Mr. A.A. Gde Oka Astawa, Head of Archaeological Agency of Denpasar, the museum collects several kinds of archaeological relics such as human skull, earthenware vessels, beads, sarcophagi, hoe used to remove weeds (esp. in paddy field), bronze tools and many others. Those items are the founding proceeds at Tanjung area, Gilimanuk municipality. "This museum was established to maintain, preserve and introduce the Balinese culture living two millennia ago to the wider community," he tells Bali Travel News.
It is expected that this Ancient Human Museum will be able to give concise illustration to the public today on the culture and value system of Balinese community two millennia ago. "In fact, Bali has had high culture then," he says while adding that it needs an appropriate method to make a good presentation in order to draw more visitors to visit this museum.
In the meantime, Made Suastika, a researcher on pre-historic period at the Archaeological Agency of Denpasar, adds that the research on historical relics has been carried out since 1963. Originally, it was executed by the research team of Central Archaeological Agency of Jakarta and then resumed by a research team of Archaeological Agency of Denpasar until 2004. There are hundreds of archaeological relics found. Amongst them are human skeleton, ordinary earthenware embellished with ornament, bronze tools, bracelets, ornamented cooking pot, spearhead and bronze gamelan instrument. "Only some of them are displayed in the museum. The rest remains to be kept at Archaeological Agency of Denpasar," Suastika says. (BTN/015)