The Minto Stone

The Minto Stone or Sangguran Inscription, known in Indonesia as Prasasti Sangguran

The Minto family trust has, since 2004, become embroiled in the fight to return the Minto stone, weighing 3 tons and measuring circa 6 foot in height, to Java.

On the stone, correctly known as the Prasati Sanggurran, is an ancient script carved in AD 982  telling the history of the island and the Kingdom of Mataram powerful between the 7th and 10th Centuries. The item was given by Stamford Raffles to the 1st Earl of Minto, grandfather of the 3rd Earl, and has been in place since 1812, on the family estate near Hawick, Roxburghshire.

The stone was taken from Malang, East Java by Stamford after he became governor of Java in 1811. He was grateful to Minto, then Governor General of India, for organising the invasion of Java and therefore for his resulting prestigious position.

The Indonesian government has been negotiating with The Minto Trust for its return to be placed rightfully in their National Museum. As recently as September 2023 there was an international  conference at Glasgow University to discuss further translation of the inscriptions and the return of the stone.

This story has obvious comparisons to the plight of the Elgin marbles.

Research by Anne Smedley (March 2024)

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