Bubakan Site

"salvage archaeology: excavation to rescue Bubakan Site"

Sketch of Bubakan site excavation in 2018. Source: Museum Documentation

Situs Bubakan (or Bubakan Site) is a term for the discovery of the old brick structure that was accidentally excavated during the construction of Bubakan Park in 2018. The objects found consist of a pool-shaped structure made of bricks with a size of 5.15 x 3.34 m with a height of 1.7 m on the west side and several brick structures on the east side. In 2020, the discoveries from 2018 were almost all covered as building grounds, except for the discoveries to the east side.

The L-shaped pool located under the glass floor was the expansion of excavation from 2018 to the east side. The position of brick structures from 2018 and 2020 is relatively arranged in line. The tip of the service pit, several concrete blocks, and part of the brick wall are components strongly assumed to be part of the SJS Company's locomotive depot.

Excavation box plan of Bubakan Site in 2020. Source: Museum Documentation

In addition, there are a number of findings during the excavation in 2018 and 2020. Some of these are terracotta fragments, ceramics, and bones. These findings were found covered in earthworks. The detached findings were associated with the pre-SJS locomotive depot.

One of the detached findings which still relevant to the in-situ structure was a single piece of andesite paving of size 10 x 20 cm and 10 cm width. The upper surface texture is relatively flat and the bottom side slightly protruding with a rough texture. The findings were assumed to be a part of the depot workshop floor.