Terengganu Inscription Stone
Terengganu Inscription Stone is a granite stele carrying a Classical Malay inscription written in Jawi script. It measures about 89 cm tall and 53 cm wide, and weighs around 214.8 kg. The inscription is dated to roughly 1303 CE or 1387 CE (702–789 AH), though the exact year is unclear because the lower left edge is damaged.
The stone was found in 1887 by villagers along the Tersat riverbank at Kampung Buluh, Kuala Berang, Hulu Terengganu. It was first kept at local suraus, then carried to Kuala Terengganu. Sultan Zainal Abidin III had it placed atop Bukit Puteri near the royal palace, where it stood for about 20 years.
In 1923, the stone was sent to the Raffles Museum in Singapore and stayed there for 37 years. It was moved to the National Museum of Malaysia in 1960. Since 1991, after Terengganu lobbied for its return, the inscription has been displayed at the Terengganu State Museum.
The inscription is one of the earliest Jawi texts in the Malay world and is important for showing Islam becoming the state religion in the region. It contains a proclamation by the Terengganu ruler, Seri Paduka Tuan, urging people to uphold Islam and lays out 10 basic Sharia laws. The text also reflects the growth of Islamic culture and maritime trade around Kuala Berang during this period. While it marks Islam’s spread, the stone still preserves some Sanskrit terms from Southeast Asia’s Hindu past.
Scholars have debated the exact date of the inscription. Early decipherments suggested 1303 CE or 1387 CE, and later arguments proposed 22 February 1303 CE (4 Rajab, 702 AH), based on calculations of the Islamic and Christian calendars. The inscription is written on all four faces, from right to left, in Jawi script, with many Arabic-derived letters and some native Jawi letters. Some letters are no longer visible due to damage. It is a key artifact recognized by UNESCO’s Memory of the World in 2009.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:30 (CET).