Indonesia's Mysterious Srivijaya Kingdom That Thrived Over 1,000 Years Ago

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135,675 views Jan 27, 2026 #CNAInsider #CNAInsiderDocumentaries #Sumatra

The name ‘Srivijaya’ was only discovered in 1918, yet the origins of this mysterious kingdom date back to more than a millennium ago. Curator and scholar Peter Lee travels to Indonesia to unlock the mysteries of the Srivijaya era. He finds clues to the kingdom hidden within one of the most iconic Buddhist monuments in the world, Borobudur, and unearths new finds at an archaeological dig in a remote forest in North Sumatra. Peter also goes on a fishing trip with the seafaring members of the Orang Laut, and traces how the Srivijaya secured control over strategic ports and sea lanes, rising to become a dominant trading entrepot in the region. WATCH MORE The Mark of Empire:

• CNA Correspondent | Full Episodes 00:00 Introduction 01:41 Clue in Borobudur UNESCO site 05:05 Traces of the seafaring Srivijaya 07:54 Origins along the Musi river 10:36 Important role of the Orang Laut 13:17 Natural resources of Sumatra 17:38 Alliance with China 18:13 How wealthy was the kingdom? 21:53 Food in the Srivijaya era 25:31 Discoveries at a remote site 29:38 Hand-weaved traditional songket fabrics 33:59 Decline of the Srivijaya kingdom 36:30 Ceremony at an ancient temple 38:10 A stopover for monks between China & India 40:08 What happened to the Srivijayan kingdom? ============================== ABOUT The Mark of Empire: Kingdoms of the Sea: What are the secrets and mysteries behind Asia’s ancient empires? In the third season of this award-winning series, curator and scholar Peter Lee is back on a journey to trace clues and uncover new theories behind the Srivijaya empire, the Champa kingdom, the Sultanate of Sulu, and the Anuradhapura kingdom. What were the epic battles, political alliances and cultural exchanges forged by the four powers in the region? From investigating the iconic reliefs of Borobudur temple in Indonesia, to diving for sea cucumbers in the Philippines’ Sulu Archipelago, to practicing the ancient martial art of Angampora in Sri Lanka, and learning about modern Cham rap music in Vietnam, Peter traces the rise and fall of these formidable kingdoms, and the cultural legacies that they have left on the region until today. ============================== #CNAInsider #CNAInsiderDocumentaries #CNATheMarkOfEmpire #Sumatra #Indonesia #History #MaritimeHistory For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER https://cna.asia/insideryoutubesub Follow CNA INSIDER on: Instagram: