Literature Review on Spatial Order of Ancient Javanese Cultural Landscape: It May Contains Spatial Continuum Idea

Abstract

Popular paradigm defines urban area as a Growth-Pole which has been expected to give trickle-down effect and spread welfare to its hinterlands and rural areas. In fact, urban growth tends to generate resource exploitations from its hinterland to comply urban necessity. Those, sharpen the dichotomy between urban and rural welfare and generate Desakota phenomenon. New paradigm sought as an alternative strategy seeks balance in the role of rural-urban linkages. This study aimed to bring out a model of spatial order that had existed in ancient Javanese civilization which followed a philosophy of maintaining the balance between human and nature in utilizing environment. Qualitative research was conducted through content exploration on ancient Javanese civilization references. Those contents were cross-diachronic to unravel the connection between politic and economic situation when that spatial order model had existed. Wenua (village) was located in a configuration that followed four geographic directions: at north, south east, west, and one in the middle of the fourth villages. Market was held rotationally among five villages through rotation Pekan Mechanism. This rotation system gave each village opportunity to become central pole for the economic activity in the region. Therefore, economic vitality was able to spread equitably over the villages.

Heritage Assemblages. The Heritage Site of Borobudur (Indonesia) as a Cultural Landscape

“…The local market rotates between the five locations, giving each village the opportunity to sell its own products and meet its own needs (pancawarna). In this way, the sacred layout ensures the vitality of the entire village system (Maulidi & Rukmi 2019). In the Borobudur region, the temple at the centre spreads its energy towards the five surrounding mountains.…”