Kota Kapur inscription

Kota Kapur inscription

Kota Kapur inscription pinnacle
Material	Stone
Size	177 cm height, 32 cm width on base and 19 cm width on top
Writing	Pallawa script in Old Malay
Created	first day of half moon Vaisakha on the year 608 Saka (28 February 686 CE)
Discovered	western coast of Bangka Island, offcoast South Sumatra, Indonesia (1892)
Present location	National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta
Registration	D.80

Kota Kapur Inscription is an inscription discovered in western coast of Bangka Island, offcoast South Sumatra, Indonesia, by J.K. van der Meulen in December 1892. It was named after "Kotakapur" village, the location where this archaeological findings were discovered. This inscription is using old Malay language written in Pallava letters. It was one of the oldest surviving written evidence of ancient Malay language. The inscription dated first day of half moon Vaisakha on the year 608 Saka (28 February 686 CE), mentioned about the curse of whomever committed treason against Srivijaya and the beginning of Srivijayan invasion against Java.

The inscription was first examined and dated by H. Kern, a Dutch epigrapher that worked for Bataviaasch Genootschap in Batavia. At first he thought that Srivijaya was the name of a king.

George Coedes noted the name on the inscriptions was that of Srivijaya, a Buddhist kingdom in 638-86, "that had just conquered the hinterland of Jambi and the island of Bangka and was preparing to launch a military expedition against Java." The name corresponds to Yijing's.

Kota Kapur inscriptions is one of the five inscriptions edicted by Dapunta Hyang, the ruler of Srivijaya. Most of this inscriptions contains curse for crime, trespassing and treasons against Srivijaya. The contents was translated by Coedes:

The inscriptions was carved on a pinnacle stone with several sides, with 177 cm height, 32 cm width on base and 19 cm width on top.

Kota Kapur inscription was the first Srivijayan inscription discovered, long before the discovery of the Kedukan Bukit Inscription on 29 November 1920, and before the Talang Tuwo inscription that was discovered several days earlier on 17 November 1920.