EXPLORING ISLAMIC TRACES IN TAPANULI THROUGH THE BONGAL SITE: HISTORY, IDENTITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

Nurcintama Purba; Rhoma Dwi Aria Yuliantri; Awanis Akalili

doi:10.36526/sosioedukasi.v15i2.8436

Authors

Nurcintama Purba Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta
Rhoma Dwi Aria Yuliantri Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta
Awanis Akalili Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36526/sosioedukasi.v15i2.8436

Keywords:

Bongal Sites, Islamic Archaelogy, Early Islam in Tapanuli,, Cultural Identity

Abstract

This study aims to identify and analyze the traces of Islam in Tapanuli through the Bongal Site, located in Jago-Jago Village, Badiri District, Central Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra. The Bongal Site is an archaeological site containing significant artifacts dating from the 7th to the 10th century CE, including Umayyad and Abbasid dynasty coins, Islamic glass fragments, intaglios, beads, Middle Eastern ceramics, and Islamic medical instruments. This study employs a descriptive qualitative historical approach. Data were collected through field observations, artifact analysis, literature review, and in-depth interviews with an archaeologist-historian from Universitas Negeri Medan, the administrator of the Fansuri Museum at the Bongal Site, and the site owner. The findings reveal that the Bongal Site constitutes new evidence of the spread of Islam in Tapanuli, as indicated by artifacts suggesting the existence of trade networks and direct interaction with the Islamic world as early as the 7th century CE. The Bongal Site holds profound significance for the cultural identity and cultural heritage of the Central Tapanuli community. Drawing on Stuart Hall's cultural identity theory and the concept of cultural heritage, this study demonstrates that the Bongal Site is not merely an archaeological site, but an integral part of the collective identity of the local community that requires sustainable preservation.

References

Amelia, P., Azhari, I., & Purnamasari, I. (2024). Artefacts Evidence of the Entry of Islam in the First History Century (7th A.D.) at the Bongal Site, Badiri District, Central Tapanuli District. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Innovation in Education, Science, and Culture, ICIESC 2023, 24 October 2023, Medan, Indonesia. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Innovation in Education, Science, and Culture, ICIESC 2023, 24 October 2023, Medan, Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.24-10-2023.2342343

Amelia, P., Azhari, I., & Sari, I. P. (2025). Awal Kehadiran Peradaban Islam di Indonesia: Eksplorasi Arkeologis Situs Bongal di Tapanuli Tengah. Jurnal Sejarah Citra Lekha, 10(1), 16–29. https://doi.org/10.14710/jscl.v10i1.58267

Arrumdani, N., Asari, H., & Yasmin, N. (2022). KONTRIBUSI KOIN UMAYYAH TEMUAN SITUS BONGAL TERHADAP HISTORIOGRAFI ISLAM DI SUMATERA UTARA. Yupa: Historical Studies Journal, 6(2), 125–148. https://doi.org/10.30872/yupa.v6i2.1504

Azra, A. (2022). Jaringan ulama Timur Tengah dan kepulauan Nusantara abad XVII–XVIII. Mizan.

Burhanuddin, M. (2022). RELIGIOUSITY OF BARUS COMMUNITY CENTRAL TAPANULI. 24(2).

Guillot, C., Perret, D., & Fanani, A. S. (2008). Barus Seribu Tahun Yang Lalu (Cet 1). Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia.

Hall, S. (1990). Cultural Identity and Diaspora. In J. Rutherford (Ed.), Identity: Community, Culture, Difference. 222–237.

Hutahean, J., & Sirait, C. R. (2019). ANALISIS NILAI RESISTIVITAS DI TANAH PENINGGALAN SEJARAH PURBAKALA MENGGUNAKAN METODE GEOLISTRIK DI DAERAH LOBU TUA KABUPATEN TAPANULI TENGAH. EINSTEIN E-JOURNAL, 5(3). https://doi.org/10.24114/einstein.v5i3.12003

Kröger, J. (1995). Nishapur: Glass of the early Islamic period / Jens Kröger. New York : The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Lowenthal, D. (1998). The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511523809

Nisa, K., & Pane, I. (2022). TITIK NOL ISLAM DI NUSANTARA: JEJAK SEJARAH ISLAM DI KOTA BARUS, TAPANULI TENGAH. PERADA, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.35961/perada.v5i2.675

Purnawibowo, S., & Restiyadi, A. (2022). Identifikasi tinggalan arkeologi maritim di Situs Bongal, Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah, Sumatera Utara. Arabes: Media Informasi Pelestari Cagar Budaya, 5 (1), 16–30.

Shaleha, P. U., Sumantri, P., & Nababan, S. A. (2025). Pengaruh Sejarah Situs Bongal Desa Jago-jago terhadap Penyebaran Islam di Sumatera Utara. Polyscopia, 2(1), 42–51. https://doi.org/10.57251/polyscopia.v2i1.1558

Siregar, M., & Prayogo, A. (2024). Preservasi Artefak Islam Situs Bongal dan Penegasan Penting Awal Islam di Nusantara. Al Qalam: Jurnal Ilmiah Keagamaan Dan Kemasyarakatan, 18(4), 2881. https://doi.org/10.35931/aq.v18i4.3555

Smith, L. (2006). Uses of Heritage (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203602263

Soedewo, E., & Ahmad, N. (2022). ABBASID COINS IN NORTH SUMATRA: EVIDENCE OF INTERACTIONS WITH ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION IN THE 8TH – 9TH CENTURY A.D. AMERTA, 40(1), 73–86. https://doi.org/10.55981/amt.2022.21

Soedewo, E., & Manurung, J. (2020). Laporan Pendokumentasian Objek-objek Arkeologi Dari Situs Bukit Bongal, Desa Jago-Jago, Kecamatan Badiri, Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah, Provinsi Sumatera Utara. Balai Arkeologi Sumatera Utara.