TEMPO.CO, Madiun - The Trenggalek regional government in East Java will relocate residents living near an ancient site at Semarum Village, where archeologists from Yogyakarta Archeology Center found an ancient water container.
"The site is located under settlements, so the land needs to be acquired first," Joko Irianto, the head of Tourism, Youth and Sports Agency (Disporsa), told Tempo on Wednesday, June 11, 2014.
According to Joko, the acquisition would be covered by the 2015 regional budget. The agency is approaching the affected residents to release their rights on the property. However, the site would be maintained by a caretaker appointed by the local Diaspora.
Lead researcher from the Yogyakarta Archeology Center Heri Priswanto, explained that further excavation will be conducted next year to reveal the origin of the ancient site. To this date, the year of the site building remains unclear.
"We have yet found any evidence leading to the year. But we think that the sites in Semarm and Kamulan are from the same era," Heri said.
NOFIKA DIAN NUGROHO
