Teak wood has a long history in Javanese society. This can be seen from various historical relics in the form of buildings such as traditional Javanese houses, mosques, palace pavilions, furniture and in Serat Centhini.

In Serat Centhini (1814-1824), the poet of the Solo Kasunanan Palace also included knowledge about the wood. Several court scribes who traveled or wandered collected information, including the results of Javanese dialog about the world of flora.
The familiarity of Javanese people with teak trees over the centuries has spawned wood characteristics or traits. This wood is believed to carry a character that can make the wearer live in prosperity and harmony.
“Generally, it is used for house door frames, stone fence doors, inner house support poles, pencak suji (a type of fence), and grogol (a sturdier fence than pencak suji,” wrote a lecturer in the History Study Program at the Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, Heri Priyatmoko in an article entitled Teak Trees in the Eyes of the Old Javanese.

From historical records, the origin of teak plants comes from Gujarat, India. This plant was brought by Indian traders to Java. At that time the king considered teak as a sacred tree. Then the royal officials imported teak from Kalingga on the East Coast of South India.
Heri said that since the second century, Javanese people have made a habit of planting teak trees around temples. For them, teak trees in the temple environment are to honor Lord Shiva. Since the end of the Hindu period, teak forests began to be planted in Java.
Meanwhile, the utilization of teak wood by the Javanese people is not known for certain. But some experts strongly suspect that before the 8th century, Javanese people had used teak wood as raw material for making houses.
This is based on the similarity of the Javanese traditional house construction techniques with those of the temple stones on the island of Java. The technique of arranging temple stones that were generally made in the 8th century is strongly suspected to have followed the arrangement of Javanese houses.
Based on ancient manuscripts, Javanese houses made of wood only appeared during the reign of Prabu Jayabaya. It is also mentioned that during the reign of Prabu Wijayaka, a housing “department” was established.
Regent kalang blandong (expert in cutting wood/trees)
Regent kalang obong (forest cleaning expert)
Regent kalang adeg (building planning expert)
Regent kalang abreg (building demolition expert)
Referring to the specializations that had been made at that time, Javanese people already had sufficient knowledge about forest issues, teak trees, and how to utilize the wood into houses or buildings.

History has recorded that teak wood has a special role for the people of Java and the Dutch East Indies government. Since the time of the Majapahit Kingdom – long before 1200 -, teak wood has been taken to build a sea fleet,
Made Oka Purnawati in the book Madiun Teak Forest; Silviculture in Madiun Karisidenan 1830-1913 said that at that time the land transportation mode using animals was still not so dominant.
“Therefore, strengthening the sea fleet was carried out to control Majapahit’s vast territory,” Purnawati wrote.
If so, then during the Majapahit Kingdom, teak wood had become a commodity for the shipping industry, although it was still on a small scale or just to meet the needs of the kingdom.
Purnawati explained that the utilization of teak wood continued until the arrival of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) in the archipelago in the early 16th century.
At that time, the specialty of teak wood from Java was legendary in the international world with the emergence of the term Java teak. The emergence of the term Java teak began when the Mataram kingdom handed over its power to the VOC.
Teak wood as one of the products of forced cultivation in addition to coffee, sugar, cotton, and indigo was used by the VOC to build merchant ships, warships, and to be traded internationally.

“Since then, Java teak has emerged to refer to teak wood from Java which is known to be very high in price in international trade,” said Purnawati.
The VOC also used teak wood to meet the needs of building warehouses, shipyards and buildings. Gradually, the VOC began to exploit teak forests, especially in Java.
Java Island is indeed the most productive area for teak tree growth, especially central and eastern Java. Teak trees thrive at an altitude of 1 to 1,800 meters above sea level, in rocky, calcareous soil, and in a dry and hot climate.
Explained by Purnawati, this is different from West Java, where the distribution of teak trees is not dominant because the climate tends to be wet and the nature of the soil is not favored by teak species.

Teak wood civilization in Java
Javanese knowledge of teak wood is relatively complete, even creating classifications based on quality. There is teak lengo or teak malam which is known to be hard, heavy, smooth to the touch and like containing oil, dark-colored wood, many spots and stripes.
Then there is sungu teak which is black, dense and heavy. Followed by werut teak wood with choppy fibers. There is also doreng teak which is hard, has a beautiful black stripe and looks like it’s on fire. Finally, lime teak is considered less strong and less durable.

Towards the turn of the 19th century and into the 20th century, Javanese oral knowledge about architecture began to be written down in manuscripts entitled Kawruh Kalang and Kawruh Griya.
According to Josef Prijotomo in Griya and Omah, these manuscripts explain more about the intricacies of building parts, measurements, and construction, as well as building planning instructions.
In this manuscript, there is no specific discussion about teak wood. However, there is an explanation of the ideal house for Javanese people which is likened to taking shelter under a tree.
“The meaning of the sentence can refer to teak trees, which in reality are widely used to build houses or other buildings,” Prijotomo wrote.

A clearer discussion of teak wood is more specifically found in Serat Centhini, which explains the types, character, and influence on the occupants of houses or other buildings.
For example, the three-branched teak tree is called trajumas. People believe this type of tree can invite sustenance. Therefore, it is usually used for the frame of the back of a large house, pengeret, blandar, molo and so on.
The five-branched tree is called pendhawa. It seems that the classical Javanese were inspired by cheerful puppetry. This tree with a very strong and sentient character is often used as the framework of the main pavilion.
According to Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Haryo (KGPH) Puger, the fiber compiled by Pakubuwono V was based on the knowledge of the Javanese people at that time. The making of this fiber aims to make it look as if the teak tree is alive.
By anatomizing and giving properties to various teak trees, it is hoped that it can prevent greedy efforts in utilizing teak wood. Given that teak is a perennial plant that takes a long time to grow well.
