The development of Kota Banten Lama: its relation to the “Silk Route”

The city of Old Banten, which is situated in Northwest Java close to the Strait of Sunda, prospered due to its connection to the maritime Silk Road. According to a 16^th-century report by Tome Pires, Banten was the most important port city of the Hinduist Kingdom of Sunda, and it conducted trade with Sumatra and the Maldives. The city was also described in the Javanese “Sejarah Banten” and in Dutch writings. These sources, a map of Kota Banten Lama from the late 16^th century and archaeological evidence provide insight into the city’s structure, buildings and trade relationships. Banten was visited by merchants from numerous countries, and they traded with a large variety of goods, especially pepper. The city flourished when the Islamic Banten Sultanate reached its peak during the 17^th century, a period of intense conflicts with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) over the trade of spices. The Dutch became increasingly powerful and eventually brought Banten under their rule in the early 19^th century, which led to the dissolution of the Sultanate and to the city’s decline.