25 – Kota Cina: Society and External Relations (Late Eleventh–Early Fourteenth Centuries CE)

This contribution is a synthesis essay about Kota Cina history between late eleventh and early fourteenth century CE. It relies on the various results of the recent and earlier excavations under­taken at Kota Cina, on the reappraisal of a corpus of Buddhist and Hindu images previously uncovered there, on the recent rediscovery of the Bulu Cina site, on recent archaeological researches conducted on the east coast of the South Sumatra, as well as studies based on contemporay foreign written sources, especially Chinese and South Asian ones. Its first purpose is to discuss the morphology and spatial evolution of the settlement. The second objective is to examine the habitation features, space occupation, domestic life as well as religious practices. The third objective is to look at the potential and organisation of the local economy. The fourth objective is to reflect about the emergence and development of Kota Cina, including Asian economic poles and actors that may have played a role in its history. The fifth purpose is to suggest hypotheses regarding Kota Cina political status. The sixth objective is to try to provide explanations about its abandonment in early fourteenth century. The contribution ends with a tentative outline of Kota Cina history.