Nusantara had been recognized as a spice producer, mainly nutmeg, clove, and pepper. People from different areas in Nusantara had even been familiar with the maritime trade routes and conducted transactions far before they knew alphabets or we may call it the prehistoric era. It’s strengthened by archaeological discoveries, such as jewelry and metal artifacts that show the existence of the goods exchanges with foreigners in Nusantara.

The strategic geographical location of Nusantara led it to become the trading center bypassed and visited by ships from different nations and continents. The spice trade routes eventually influenced the development of civilization in the future, from the classical to the colonial eras.

One of the traces of spice trades that we can find today lies in the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

Back in those days, the people of Yogyakarta often hunted animals, both to consume and be exchanged with spices. We can even find traces of spice exchange during the late historical period or the protohistory in the Gunung Wingko and Kubur Megalitik sites in Gunung Kidul. Further, there are other spice trade traces that we can find in Yogyakarta today.

Watch the full story and explanation from archaeologists about the trace of Spice Routes in the Special Region of Yogyakarta in the video above!