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Photo: Arif Permana Putra · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Banten Girang is an ancient settlement in Sempu village, Serang, Banten, located about 10 km south of the port of Banten along the Cibanten River. It dates back to the Sunda Kingdom era and translated as "Banten-up-the-river," referring to its inland location. The archaeological site includes tombs, a punden berundak, and man-made cave niches carved into stone cliffs. A research done by the French archaeologist Claude Guillot's from 1988 to 1992 suggests Banten Girang was a settlement that thrived between the 10th and 14th centuries. It later became the precursor to the Banten Sultanate, which emerged in the 16th century as a major coastal trade hub, particularly for the regional pepper trade.
