Karang Berahi Inscription: Old Stone Text From Merangin, Jambi
The Karang Berahi inscription is a stone text from Karang Berahi village in Merangin Regency, Jambi, on the island of Sumatra. It belongs to the Sriwijaya period and is written in Old Malay using the Pallava script. Its message is a curse, and the stone is a direct link to the early kingdom in this part of Sumatra.
What the Karang Berahi inscription says
The text is a curse aimed at people who are disloyal to the king or who refuse to submit to him, and at those who do evil. Visitors who want to follow the wording will need a transcription, because the script and language are not easy to read from the carving alone.
When the Karang Berahi stone was made
The inscription is not dated. It is placed in the late seventh century, around the 680s, on the basis of its script and language. The stone was first found in 1904, and it measures about 90 by 90 by 10 centimetres.
Where the stone stands in Merangin
The inscription lies in Karang Berahi village, in the Pamenang district of Merangin Regency. Merangin is one of the regencies of Jambi province, and the stone is a good reason to explore the countryside of the regency on a trip through Jambi.
Related guides: Jambi, Bangko, Batanghari River.