Material culture at Allangkanangnge ri Latanete in relation to the origins of Bugis kingdoms

Abstract

The early historical South Sulawesi site Allangkanangnge ri Latanete is reputed to be the location of the palace of the legendary Bugis kingdom of Cina. This vanished kingdom arose in the 13th century AD and disappeared in the 16th century. The Allangkanangnge ri Latanete site is dated to between the 13th and 17th centuries based on Carbon-14 determinations and imported stoneware and porcelain sherds recovered through survey and excavation. The material cultural remains excavated at the site are dominated by earthenware sherds: their frequencies indicate light occupation during the 13th century, a main period of habitation between the 14th and 16th centuries, and a decline during the 17th century. Excavated earthenware vessel forms reflect a range of functions including food preparation and storage. There is evidence of ironworking from iron slag debris, earthenware sherds identified as crucibles rims and local oral history. The excavated area near the summit of the hill is characterised by old Islamic graves, said to be those of the rulers of Cina. However, there is no evidence here for burials older than the 16th century; in earlier centuries, the area on the summit, which is protected by a low stone wall, may have been the location of a wooden palace. Some dozens of stone arrangements scattered over the eastern slope may possibly be associated with marking the burials of cremated remains in jars. The site displays a partially coastal orientation, both in terms of physical proximity and subsistence debris during the 13th and 14th centuries followed by a greater focus on wet-rice production during the 14th to 17th centuries. Show more