Archaeological Landscape in Sleko

"Sleko played a significant role in the development of the Semarang City in the past"

a.) aerial view of Sleko nowadays; b.) Sleko in an old map of 1935. Source: a.) google map; b.) Kaart van Semarang (1935)

Sleko is located on the east side meander of the Semarang River (Kali Semarang). The land has historical significance for the development of Semarang from the VOC era to the Dutch East Indies. The Sleko area was the location of the Vijfhoek fort and part of the de Smits bastion of the city fort. In the post-fortress era, the area was divided into two, with the western side becoming Kleine Boom and Nederlandsch Indische Gas Maatshcappij (NIGM), while the eastern side became the railway line of the SJS railway, an authentic remnant from the post-fortress era of the city is the Syahbandar Tower or Uitkijk. The research site of the D.I.Y. Provincial Archaeological Centre is also located in the area, specifically near the boundary wall of the land owned by PGN and Perum DAMRI.

The Gemeente or Semarang city Government decided in 1935 to stop the annual dredging process of Kali Semarang/ Semarang River because it was expensive and all load-unload goods activities were relocated to the new harbour so the boats were no longer needed to use the Semarang River. This was defied by NIGM since coal supplies for the factory still come from the boats while the gas factory itself can’t be relocated closer to the harbour.

On 1 May 1940, the construction of a railway between Tawang and Poncol Station began. One of the railways cut across Sleko and deconstructed the old warehouse. The new railway began to operate on 6 January 1941. It has an important role, mainly in transporting goods since the goods transported from the west could be taken directly to the harbour in the north without required to transit. As for passenger transportation, the railways did not have a significant part because of the difference in railway width between SCS and NIS railways so it’s impossible to make a direct travel from Pantura (East Coast Java) to Vorstenlanden.

The presence of an ex-gas factory in Sleko has the potential to be explored more and may enrich archaeological data about industrial archaeology specifically in Semarang, which has been well-known as the city of trade and services. The gas factory itself shows that coal as raw material from outside Semarang and is able to produce fuel from the factory.