Barus city, the oldest city in the archipelago

Barus city, the oldest city in the archipelago

Not many people know that the real Barus is a city of many secrets.
Since the beginning of the first century AD, the region Barus Kingdom, located on the West Coast of Sumatra (North Sumatra), is believed to occupy an important position in the history of international trade.
The results with archaeological-historical approach (historical archaelogy) on the site Lobu Old shows, many facts findings eventually led the experts to the conclusion that this area has served as a center for international commercial port for centuries. News of the existence of Barus as a commercial airport, is marked by an ancient map of the 2nd century made by the
Claudius Ptolemy, a governor in the Kingdom of Greece, based in Alexandria, Egypt.
There is mentioned that on the west coast of Sumatra there is a commercial airport named Barossai that produce perfume (fragrance), known as a manufacturer of mothballs. Commodities are very popular and became an important commodity for the Asia and Europe.
With a little picture mentioned there are 3 things most important findings of Barus, namely:
1. Barus, the city's first entry of Christianity in Indonesia.
A group of Christian missionaries of the Nestorian sect of Constantinople, the center of Eastern Byzantine Empire, set foot in Barus. The group is expected to come around the year 600 AD and founded the first church in the village Shower (Fansur), Barus. Not long ago a later date came the Arab traders to the Barus and they brought Islam to the Barus.
According to Prof. W.B. Sijabat, Nestorian Christians have entered into Barus in the seventh century AD Barus or Fansur is noted by a Nestorian Christian writer named Shaik Abu Saleh al Armini in an important document in Arabic that is written in the twelfth century AD and has been translated into English in 1895. In this document noted that there has been
Nestorian Christians since the 7th century in Fansur, Barus (Sijabat,
2007:34-35). Fellowship of Churches in Indonesia also believed since the year 645 AD in the area of ​​Barus has entered the Christians of the Nestorian sect. That belief is based on the writings of ancient books of Shaikh Abu Salih al-Armini. Meanwhile, the explorers of Armenia Mabousahl noted that in the 12th century there has been a Nestorian Church in Barus (Kompas, 01/04-2005).
2. Barus, the city's first introduction of Islam in Indonesia.
Arab traders entered the Barus around 627-643 AD, or about the year 1 AH, and spread Islam in the area. There are also four caliphs envoy, named Sheikh Ismail will to Pasai Ocean and stop at Barus, around the year 634 AD Since then, there were Arabs (Muslims) to establish colonies in Barus. The Arabs called Barus as Fansur or
Fansuri, for example by the author of Solomon in 851 AD in his book "Chronicles Silsilatus." (Wanti, 2007).
New in 1978, a number of archaeologists led by Prof.. Dr. Hasan Muarif Ambary do research on various gravestones tombs around Barus. In a study of the gravestone of Sheikh Rukunuddin, archaeologists also lecturer at Airlangga University and professor of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, believes that Islam has been entered since the year 1 AH. It was based on a calculation which amplifies the opinion
Local historian Dada Meuraxa supported a number of other historians that the inscription on the tomb of Sheikh Rukunuddin's gravestone in 48 Hijri. Inauguration of the seminar was strengthened again on 29-30 March 1983 in Medan concluded Barus was the first area of ​​Islam in the archipelago. (Wanti, 2007).
Calculation of Islam in Barus was also supported by the findings of 44 tombstones around Barus Islamic propagator reads Arabic and Persian alphabet. For example gravestone of Sheikh Mahmud in Board of Appeal. Tomb with a height of 200 meters above sea level, according to Ustadz Djamaluddin Coal,
until now there is some writing can not be translated. This is because the writing is a script that mixes ancient Persian with Arabic script.
An archaeologist and ancient Arabic calligraphers from France
Prof. Dr. Ludwig Kuvi admitted Sheikh Mahmud came from Hadramaut, Yemen, is a great scholar. (Wanti, 2007).
Based on the book's Nuchbatuddar Addimasqi, Barus also known as the early introduction of Islam in the archipelago around the 7th century AD. An ancient tomb in the cemetery Mahligai, Barus, on his tombstone is written
Rukunuddin sheikh died in 672 AD. This reinforces the notion that the Muslim community in Barus already exist in that era (Kompas, 01/04-2005).
According to ancient Chinese literature, about the year 625 AD there has been a Muslim Arab village on the coast of Sumatra (Barus). So only 9 years since the Prophet Muhammad proclaimed the message of Islam openly, on the coast of Sumatra was there a Muslim village. In ringka can be described as follows: the Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation
in the year 610 AD, two and a half years later received a second revelation (the first quarter of the year 613 AD), then three years preaching secretly Arqam bin Abil-Arqam period (first quarter to about 616 AD), only then do the mission openly from Mecca to the entire Arabian Peninsula. Thus the findings G.R. Tibbets who has researched diligently. This finding is reinforced Prof. Dr. Hamka who mentions that a Chinese chronicler who wander in the year 674 AD have found a group of Arabs who make the village and settled on the West coast of Sumatra. This is why, Hamka wrote that the discovery has changed the perception of the history of the introduction of Islam in the country. Hamka also added that this finding was believed true by the chroniclers of the Islamic world at Princeton University in America (Ridyasmara, 2006).
3. Barus, the oldest city in Indonesia.
Barus very probably the oldest cities in Indonesia since the entire city in the archipelago, only Barus whose name has been mentioned since the beginning of AD by Arab literature, Indian, Tamil, Greeks, Syrians, Armenians, Chinese, and so on. An ancient map made by Claudius Ptolemy,
one of the Kingdom of Greece Governor, based in Alexandria Egypt in the 2nd century AD, has also been mentioned that on the west coast of Sumatra there is a commercial airport named Barousai (Barus) known producing fragrance of mothballs. Even told also that the lime
balls prepared from camphor wood from the city had been taken to Egypt to be used for embalming corpses in the days since the power of Pharaoh Ramses II, or about 5. 000 years before Christ (Kompas, 01/04-2005).
A team of archaeologists from the Ecole Francaise D'Extreme-Orient (EFEO) French researchers in collaboration with the National Center for Archaeological Research (PPAN) in Lobu Old, Barus, has found that in about 9-12 century AD, Barus village has become a multi- -ethnicity of various ethnic groups such as Arabs, Aceh, Indian, Chinese, Tamil, Javanese, Batak,
Minangkabau, Bugis, Bengkulu, and so on. The team found many objects of high quality that he was already hundreds of years and marks the first time very prosperous life in the Barus (Kompas, 01/04-2005).
Inscriptions found in the Old Lobu, Barus built in 1088 in Tamil language. The inscription mentions that at least since the 11th century, had settled a colony in the city Barus Tamil nation. According Lobutua stone, they joined in a company, known as the "500 groups" that are familiar to the Indians at that time.
A private company they represent, is a trading company can simply strong, independent in action and not easily subject to one of the kings who ruled around Barus. Those who dwell in this Barus who bought some of the results from the people (of course the most important camphor) to be exported to foreign countries (Kompas, 01/04-2005).
As a commercial port of the ocean, Barus (Lobu old) is estimated to have been around for 3,000 years before Christ. In fact, there are estimates that more than that about 5,000 years BC. Estimated end of it, based on the findings of various preservatives Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh mummy one preserved
using camphor or Barus chalk.
The sap wood camphor best quality, when it is found only around Barus. Historian Prof. independence era. Mr. Mohamad. Yamin, SH spice trade estimates include camphor, has been performed since the trader Archipelago 6,000 years ago to various parts of the world. More forward than expected, based on the old archives from the scriptures.
For example dala Old Testament, tells of King Solomon ordered the people to trade and buy spices up into Ophir. Ophir reasonably suspected as Lobu Old, Barus. Other civilizations had touched emporium Barus,
Greece is expected to visit the merchant Barus in the early Christian era. A wandering Greek, Claudius Ptolemy, noting his way up to Barousai, circa 70 AD.
Greek chronicler mentions that in addition to the Greek merchant, the merchant of Venice, Indian, Arabic and Chinese are also passing to the Barus to obtain spices (Alert, 26/06-2007).
Above have been put forward evidence about three important things earlier. First, that the entry of Barus was the first city in Indonesia Christianity. Secondly, that the entry of Barus was the first city of Islam in Indonesia. And Third, that the balls is the oldest city in Indonesia.
In Java, the BC is also no written records. Prince Aji Saka own bar "known" to start the letter writing system based on the typology of ancient Jawi letters Hindustan during the period between 0 to 100 AD. In this period in Borneo has stood the Hindu kingdom of Kutai in the fourth century AD 4-5. Tarumanegara in West Java, the new stand-century AD 5-7. In
Sumatra, a new Buddhist religion spread in the year 425 AD and achieve glory in the kingdom of Srivijaya (from Various Sources).
Barus city was soon brought our minds on camphor (camphor in the Dutch language, perhaps from the spoken word lime kofur by the Arabs). Similarly, frankincense (beruoe in Dutch) is probably from the Arabic word (lu) tire-ox or incense Sumatra.
Camphor and incense was so long ago exported from Barus in addition to other outcomes such as gold, ivory and rhino horn. However, mothballs, most importantly, because
commodity is what makes the city so famous in the world Barus that time.
Barus camphor home city is the most widely sought after because
the best quality, best-selling and cost about 8 times lebi expensive than the lime-camphor origin elsewhere. (Marco Polo never mentioned, the price of camphor like gold with the same weight!).
Can imagine how advances in an area that holds the monopoly of a commodity (camphor and incense) are highly sought after "developed world" past both in Asia and northern Africa and perhaps in Greece. There are three types of mothballs at the time, namely: Camphor of Borneo and
Sumatra (Dryobalanops aromatica), Camphor from China and Japan (Cinnamomum Camphora) that many in the market and the third is Blumea balsamifera, which is produced in China by the name of Ngai camphor.
Prices of origin Sumatra camphor is approximately 138 times more expensive than China and Japan camphor. (Hobson-Jobson, Glossary of Anglo-Indian Words and Phares) (from Various Sources).
Until the 16th century, Barus is an important port in international trade and commodities from the Barus camphor. Places that produce it are limited, namely in the area near a tributary named the River Singkel. The results were taken to Singkel camphor (now: Singkil) through Singkel River, then transported by road, and finally arrived at Barus.
Although for the port of Barus from the sea is rather difficult when compared with the situation in the port Singkel or Sibolga, but Barus remains the most important port in the 16th century, as reported by Tomé Pires. In addition to camphor is still there more of other commodities, which is incense. Frankincense grows in the forests in the area of ​​Bukit Barisan Tapanuli and Dairi. Just as camphor earlier, that the area which became producing camphor including Dairi (from Various Sources).
Indeed Dairi including producing regions of camphor and incense were exported through the Barus Barus throughout history as has been said earlier. Barus was the port as the place to trade in camphor and incense, but Dairi including regions that produce both 

the commodity.
This is where the actual role of the Dairi in the history of Barus, so history is a part of history Dairi Barus, which has lasted for thousands of years. Dairi history is inseparable from the history of Barus, which has been said earlier. In this context we can see the history of the Dairi who had so long until thousands of years.

(This article has been published in the magazine KIRANA,
November 2008 edition, Dairi Regency Magazine)