“I believe there is no one possessed of more information respecting Java than myself..” Thomas Stamford Raffles
Without a doubt, the book The History of Java has become one of the most important historical sources for knowing the lives of Javanese people in the past. This book was written by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, a British-born administrator, who was obsessed with recording the exoticism of the Javanese world which was full of diversity and geographical and cultural uniqueness.
The History of Java was first published in 1817 in two volumes. The First Volume contains the complete core of the book itself, while the Second Volume contains additional information and attachments. The two volumes are then summarized as one in this book. The contents include geographical conditions, information about the native Javanese population, agricultural conditions, religious beliefs and ceremonies, language, as well as several other interesting things. Raffles’ hard work and perseverance have produced a masterpiece that is very valuable for the Indonesian people.