Stone Terraces as an Austronesian Cultural Relic Around the Highlands and Mountains in the Western Part of Java

Lutfi Yondri

Stone terraces are one of the cultural relics from the Austronesian legacy in ritual practice. Based on archaeological research, it can be concluded that the stone terraces were closely tied to the culture and religious practices surrounding the mountain in the past. In the western part of Java, several stone terrace relics can be found in hilly and mountainous areas. These stone terraces not only have distinctive shapes and structures but are also constructed using materials readily available in the area where they are built. Stone terraces can be interpreted as representing a fusion of architecture, spirituality, and cultural identity, and are related to their function as eternal sacred spaces that have developed to accommodate various religious traditions while retaining their basic meaning for local communities. This article uses a descriptive-analytical approach to explain stone terrace sites and how these monuments function as living heritage sites, continuing to bridge ancient wisdom with contemporary spiritual practices in the western part of the island of Java.