Gedong Arca Museum, Bedulu

The Purbakala Archaeological Museum or Gedong Arca Museum is a museum located in Bedulu on Bali, Indonesia.

It holds an important collection of sarcophagi.

History
The museum was built from 1958-1959 on 2,564 m2 of land, upon the initiative of R.P. Soejono, then head of the Office of Archeological Institute and National Heritage II Gianyar. It was inaugurated on September 14, 1974 by Brigjen Soekarmen, Governor of Bali. It has become an important institution for the preservation of ancient relics from Bali and other Lesser Sunda Islands.

Description
The museum has three courtyards. The outer courtyard includes three spaces: the wantilan (pavilion), the ticket sales office and the bale kulkul ('kulkul pavilion'). The central courtyard includes five spaces and is the main exhibition area. It centers around a nice pond surrounded by a garden. The inner courtyard holds a pavilion and seven spaces used for special events and storage.

Collections
The museum gathers some 3,000 cultural heritage items, covering the periods from (prehistoric and protohistoric times) - stone age to bronze age - and from the 8th to 15th century. They include ancient household tools, hunting tools, fishing tools, cultivation tools, and other items related to religious / ritual purposes. A section of the museum houses bronze artifacts which are early elements of the Hindu religion, such as the cakra - a weapon used by the god Wisnu - and a priest's ceremonial bell. Another section of the museum houses stone tools such as axes and flints, and some metal utensils. These diverse artifacts, categorized and dated, are presented in large display cabinets.

The museum also holds a collection of sarcophagi from around the island. Their sizes vary from small flat coffins to much larger and longer versions - the size also indicates the status of the deceased. Many of these sarcophagi are shaped like turtles and adorned with several protrusions and carvings representing faces with wide eyes, open mouths and tongues poking out. It is assumed that they were considered vectors for magical powers aimed at protecting the coffin and the community from negative forces. Some also bear carved spells, with the same finality in mind.

Striving to maintain and document ancient findings, the museum is an educational medium mainly visited by students seeking research data and items that bear witness to the earliest traces of Balinese civilization.

Surroundings
It stands 600 m south of the Penataran Sasih temple, where a number of archaeological relics are also held - most famously the bronze kettledrum known as the moon of Pejeng (‘Bulan Pejeng’) for its circular shape that resembles a full moon, likely made in Bali since its large mould was also found on the island.