DANAU SIOMBAK & KOTA CINA MUSEUM ; HIDDEN HISTORY FROM THE CORNER OF MEDAN CITY

            If we think about Medan, what are things that appear in your mind? Maimun palace? Raya Mosque? Yes, those are right. But, do you know? Besides foods and buildings like Maimun palace and Raya mosque, there are two heritage sites in Medan, Kota Cina museum and Siombak lake.

            Youth who like to explore about heritage and the other side of Medan need to visit these. Siombak lake is an artificial lake in Medan Marelan, North Sumatera. It has 40 hectares, 1000 meters of diameter, and the depth is 12 meters. Siombak lake was appear because of ground exploition have been a big hole and filled by rain and water from Deli dan Terjun river, so it can be an artificial lake called Siombak lake.

            In there, not only Siombak lake, but also there is Kota Cina Museum. The existence of the museum can’t be separated from Siombak lake.

            Kota Cina museum is an archaeologist sine in the side of Siombak lake. In 12-14 century, Kota Cina is an international harbor. So many boat from India, Tiongkok, and Persia docked in Kota Cina. The site has known from 1970, but the history was know when people found an ancient statue in the location of ground exploition for Belmera tol in 1986.

            The heritage site is supposed as a big harbor in the period and there was a glorious kingdon in there. In this harbor, so many people from China who lived in the area. The area also was been a busy harbour, full of transaction of porcelain, ceramics, spices, or statue from south India. Not only trade, but also there was so many history activity in there. The evidence is discovey of draft word from ship fuselage which found as one of fossil, history heritage in here.

            The progress of the trade in the place was stopped because of disarter which attack this place. Based on the legend story in society, the harbour shattered because accept the curse and attacked by the group of molluscs. Other people said that the place shattered because of tsunami.

            The existence of Kota Cina Museum is being proud enough for us as the society in North Sumatera, especially Medan. Because this heritage site is so big, and so many historic archaeological found here and collected in the museum near Siombak lake, like China ceramics from dinasty of Song and Yuan, XI-XIV century, ceramics from Gujarat (India) and Muangthai (Thailang), ancient coin money from Sri Lanka, mini statue, gold, stones from temple which found near the museum. And this heritage site can be a good place to study the history, and even historians have supposed that there is a temple hidden in this site, and we will find it soon if we continue the observation.

            So, do you think that medan is cool because of the heritage after reading the information? I think yes. If you curious with there place, you can come there, on jalan Kota Cina, Paya Pasir, Medan Marelan, Medan City, North Sumatera, Indonesia. See you there!