T

he Central Java Cultural Heritage Preservation Agency (BPCB) has been continuing the excavation of structure believed to be a bunker, which was found buried at a corner of the Surakarta City Hall compound.

Head of BPCB'€™s Protection Development and Utilization section, Gutomo, said that the excavation was carried out to reveal the original function of the structure that was thought to be built by the Dutch colonists in the 1800s.

'€œThis is just an initial phase. We have to conduct further research especially to find out the original function [of the structure],'€ Gutomo said recently, adding that the excavation would be conducted over 15 days.

Gutomo, however, was reluctant to define it as a bunker, arguing that there was a possibility that the structure '€” measuring some 16-by-24 square meters '€” was part of an drainage system.

To verify this, the excavation has to at least uncover the entrance door of the structure, which measures some 1-by-1.5 square meters.

That way, the team can go into the building and try to identify whether the building was once a ditch or a bunker.

What the team was looking for was signs such as traces of lighting devices and rooms, which could prove that people once resided in the structure.

Whatever the building'€™s function was, Gutomo said it deserved to be declared a cultural heritage site, protected and preserved once the whole structure was uncovered.

The excavation on the subterranean building was first conducted in 2012 but was later halted due to limited funds, revealing only the roof.

The current excavation is being carried out by BPCB and Surakarta city administration with funds of between Rp 30 million (US$2,581) and Rp 40 million from the city budget.

Two archeologists, four workers and two architects are involved in the excavation that is also utilizing heavy equipment to speed up the work.

The Surakarta city administration cancelled a plan to build an office for the Population and Civil Registration Agency on the site.