The Discovery Of A Milling Stone Of Historical Heritage In TB Simatupang, Adding To The Collection At The Condet Cultural Center

Stone mill from the 18th century (Photo: DOK Public Relations DKI Provincial Government)

JAKARTA - The collection of historical objects at the Condet Cultural Center, East Jakarta, is now increasing again. This was in line with the discovery of the suspected cultural heritage object (ODCB) in the form of a millstone relic of the 18th century from under the sidewalk of Jalan TB Simatupang, Gedong, Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta.

The Head of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Culture Service, Iwan Henry Wardhana, said that the ODCB rescue evacuation was carried out together with the Cultural Conservation Conservation Center and the East Jakarta Culture Sub-department.

"This is a protection and rescue effort so that objects are more protected," said Iwan, quoted from the ppid Jakarta website, Saturday, October 30.

According to Iwan, this ODCB discovery is nothing new. Previously, millstone ODCB was also found in the area of the Milling Village, Cakung District, East Jakarta.

In fact, he said, there were quite a number of millstone ODCB discoveries in Cakung. At least, five units of historical millstones have been found there.

Currently, the millstone found on Jalan TB Simatupang is still going through the process of cleaning and repairing the damaged object. Later, continued Iwan, the historical stone will be given a narration containing information related to the history and function of the millstone.

The provision of information is to make it easier for people who visit the Condet Cultural Center to better understand the historical value and origins. Furthermore, Iwan said, historical millstones are also found in the Jakarta History Museum.

As for the history of the stone mill, it is a sugarcane processing tool used in the 17th to 18th centuries AD.

Launching in the writings of Haan (1935: 323-324), there is the term suikermolen which means sugar-making factory. In the 18th century, the term sugar mill referred to a sugar mill with simple traditional equipment that used stones to grind sugar cane.

At that time, sugar became one of the important commodities for trade in the world. Batavia is one of the sugar-producing areas, where the produce is exported to China and Japan.

Sugar production in Batavia was carried out by the Chinese who lived in the Chinatown area. Realizing that sugar production was profitable, the VOC finally made a stipulation that sugar in Batavia must be sold to the VOC, not to be sold to other parties. In fact, the VOC determines the price of sugar.

The year 1710 was the heyday of sugar production in Batavia, where there were 130 Chinese-owned sugar factories, most of which were located around the Ciliwung River.

However, after that, sugar production decreased, which was marked by a reduction in sugar factories. In 1738, there were 80 sugar factories. Then, in 1750, there were 66 sugar factories. Then, in 1786, there were only 44 sugar factories.

After the decline in sugarcane production in Batavia and the exodus of the Chinese from Batavia in 1740, they began to build forts with high fences, hereinafter called China Benteng. One of them, started to build a sugar cane mill to be used as granulated sugar in the Cakung area.

"The process of evacuating millstones from the sidewalk of Jalan TB Simatupang went smoothly with the help and cooperation of the East Jakarta Highways Sub-dept., East Jakarta Fire Management Sub-Department, Gedong Sub-District, and related parties," he said.