New Light on the Expertise of Ancient Javanese Astrologers (‘Wariga’)
Abstract
This article examines how court astrologers on ancient Java, known as wariga, developed dating components originally from India and adapted them to their local geographical context. The study undertakes a comparative analysis of a corpus of 80 inscriptions written in Old Javanese, using the HIC (Hindu Calendar Conversion) application to explore five dating components present within them: tīthi, the lunar day; yoga, or planetary combinations; wāra, the day of the week; wuku, a 210- day cycle; and māsa, the lunar month. The findings highlight how indigenous astronomy evolved through localised interpretations and adaptations of imported sources, improving in accuracy over time, and offer insights into the emergence of indigenous astronomy in Java.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Historical Astronomy and Related Studies
Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
Australian Indigenous Culture and History
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Skyscape Archaeology
- Publisher
- Equinox Publishing
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 205–223
- Publication date
- 3 April 2026