History

Since it’s found in 1993 until 2010, Kedulan temple restoration is still being conducted. Even its third supporting temples (perwara temples) in the Kedulan temple complex can not be completely excavated yet because it’s located on the residents’ area. Kedulan temple area is estimated to be wider since the east fence of the temple is still missing. 

Research and restoration to the Kedulan temple has been continuing. Research in 2003 has found inscriptions of Pananggaran and Sumudul in Kedulan temple area. Those two inscriptions were written in Palawa script with Sanskrit language that contains about the exemption of land tax in the Pananggaran and Parhyangan villages for dams and irrigation building as well as construction of sacred buildings named Tiwaharyyan in the Ancient Mataram Kingdom period. That Tiwaharyyan sacred building was guessed to be Kedulan temple itself.

Location

Kedulan temple is located about three kilometers northwest of Prambanan Temple. Its architecture similar to the Sambisari temple. But its decorative arts it close to the Ijo and Barong temples’. If Sambisari temple faces to the west, while Kedulan temple facing to the east. Sambisari temple only has stairs’ cheek on the main temple, while Kedulan temple also has stairs’ cheek on its supporting temples (perwara). Both of Sambisari and Kedulan temples’ stairs’ cheek decoration are carved in snake-shaped, and one distinguish thing between them  is in the snake’s mouth of Sambisari temple is carved an animal looks like a lion (barongsai), while in the Kedulan temple is carved a bird.

There is feature on Kedulan Temple, that is located at its Kala relief. In Central Java, Kala relief has no under jaw as in East Java. However Kedulan Temple which is located in Central Java, has under jaw on its Kala relief. Therefore Kedulan temple was estimated built in the late period of the Hindu kingdom in Central Java that were going to move to East Java around the 8th and the 10th century.