ANCIENT TOMBS AND MOSQUES IN JAVA: COLLECTIVE MEMORY AND COSMOLOGY

Abstract

The development of Islam in Java is closely related to the tomb as a material culture that can be studied in archeology. Through the study of tombs, it can be revealed how Islam is developed. In general, the placement of the remaining tombs of the Islamic sultanate in Java can be divided into two locations, namely tombs that are on hills or mountains, and the tombs that are in flat areas. This article discusses the meaning of placing tombs in flat areas studied through the view of Javanese cosmology. Data sources used came from two places, namely the Great Mosque of Demak and the Great Mosque of Kudus. In addition, the study of pilgrimage activities in both places became the focus of the research to see how people now interpret the tombs. The results of the study show that placement of the tombs is related to the microcosm, which is the process of human creation in Islamic cosmology. The activity of pilgrimage to the existing tomb complex is a tradition that is closely related to the meaning of respect for the buried figure.