What Did the Javanese Eat 1,100 Years Ago? The Answer Feels Surprisingly Familiar

If we try to imagine a Javanese dining table from 1,100 years ago, we might picture something plain and distant from modern tastes. Ancient inscriptions from the 10th century, however, tell a different story. The food of Old Java turns out to be far more recognizable than we might expect.

Details about food and drink frequently appear in inscriptions related to the establishment of sima, or tax-exempt villages. These ceremonies always involved communal feasts—and it is from these records that we learn what people actually ate. Several key inscriptions—Taji (901 CE), Panggumulan (902 CE), Mantyasih I (907 CE), Rukam (907 CE), Watukura I (902 CE), and Linggasuntan (929 CE)—offer glimpses into the everyday diet of ancient Javanese society.

Rice, Meat, and Familiar Dishes

Rice already held its central place, referred to as wras in the Taji inscription. This confirms that rice has been the backbone of Javanese cuisine for more than a millennium. Animal protein was abundant. Hadangan (water buffalo) and hayam (chicken) were commonly slaughtered. Meat was not always consumed fresh—some was preserved as deng asin, a form of salted dried meat.

Eggs, known as hantiga, were also listed. From rivers and waters came fish such as gurameh (gourami), alongside now-obscure species like kadiwas and bilunglung. As for drinks, inscriptions mention tuak, a fermented beverage made from palm sap (jenu), recorded as tuak len sangka ing jnu. It likely played a role in both daily life and ceremonial occasions.

A Wider Range of Protein Than Expected

The Mantyasih I inscription expands the menu even further. It lists wok (wild boar), wdus (goat), hurang (shrimp), and eggs again, here called hantrini. This variety suggests that Old Javanese communities relied on diverse food sources, drawing from forests, fields, rivers, and seas alike.

Salted Fish and Enduring Flavors

Meanwhile, the Panggumulan and Rukam inscriptions record lists of salted fish and dried seafood, including snapper, shrimp, and crab. These ingredients remain staples in Javanese cooking today, even as recipes and seasonings have evolved.

In the end, these inscriptions reveal that modern Javanese cuisine is not a sudden invention. It is the result of a long culinary journey—one that began over a thousand years ago, at ceremonial feasts marking the birth of villages, and continues today at humble food stalls across Java.