Tomb of King Sidabutar is a stone carved as human head along with some tombs of other kings around him. It is a natural stone, located at Tomok, Samosir. To see it on the map, click here.
What’s Special
The tomb complex contains three graves of kings and several graves of relatives. The first king and the second king had not embraced the divine religion but still followed the local beliefs called Parmalim. The third king, named Solompoan Sidabutar, had embraced Christianity. He was among the earlier Batak leaders who adopted the new religion and helped shaped the modern Batak culture. He was also one of the most powerful kings as he possessed supernatural powers. According to the legend, he never cut his hair to remain supernaturally powerful.
What to Enjoy
There are several tombs of King Sidabutar and his family. These stone graves are megalithic relics of the Toba Batak culture with an age of more than 450 years. Very old dude!
These stone tombs are made of intact stone without joints that are carved and then covered. His tomb was not buried in the ground, but placed on the ground. But over time, the bottom of his tomb sank a little too. These tombs also have carvings that are full of meaning.
The first and oldest tomb is the tomb of King Oppu Soributtu Sidabutar, he was the first king in Tomok and is believed to be the first person to open the village of Tomok. On his tomb there are carvings of human heads which are believed to be carvings from the king. While at the top of his tomb there is a small carving which is said to be the carving of his grandson as a hope that the next generation will be better than himself.
What to Expect
Before entering the grave, you are required to wear ulos (Batak custom fabric) provided at the entrance for free. Above the tomb, you will see a scarf with white, red, and black colors. The colors represent spiritual symbols, i.e., white for heaven (purity), red for earth (tranquility), and black for underground (death).
What Visitors Say
“Old Tomb of King Sidabutar I, II & III. great story from the past that people can learn. They are about loyalty, romance, dan patience.” Muhammad Savrizal (Source)
“Well preserved and full of history, with 5 king tombs and several of the generals tomb. Recommended to hire a local guide.” Randy Chandra (Source)
“Nice historical site, hire local guide to help you get around.” Adeline Pannadhika (Source)
“Before entering the tomb complex, visitors must wear the ulos cloth that has been provided at the entrance. This cloth is enough to be slung over the shoulder. In addition, visitors must also maintain good manners and apply a queuing culture. Oh yes, the entrance ticket is also sincere, so it doesn’t burden visitors.” backpacksejarah (Source)
“The tomb guards warned us not to talk dirty in the tomb and behave politely because the tomb of King Sidabutar is a holy place, respected and sacred.” diarysivika (Source)
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