Steep, broken islands with deep bays and villages that face inward rather than out to sea (board).
The bronze kettle drums that turn up in Alor, cast far to the west and traded down the chain over centuries, are the best physical evidence that these islands were part of a long-distance exchange network long before 1200 (board; the origin of the drums is argued, recalled). The languages of Alor and Pantar form a family apart from the Austronesian tongues of the coasts of the other islands (recalled). The Nagarakretagama (1365) names Galiao, which en.wikipedia glosses as Pantar; the reading is not secure.
No ruler, harbour or export is recorded for 1200.
Who holds it
- Title
- Village and clan heads of Alor and Pantar
- Since
- not pinned
- Born
- not known
- Confidence
- low
No chief is named. Nothing is recorded for the islands before the Dutch and Portuguese.
What it holds
- Hill villages and bay landings
- Heirloom bronze drums (board)
How things stand that morning
No state attested.
Wealth
No export is recorded.
Military
None attested.
Places of note
- Kalabahi: Modern town on Alor (gazetteer point).
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The campaign board and later records; archaeology of the drums.
"The campaign board" is OMNIA's working map. These notes record where its earlier claims were checked against the sources.
On the map: One regency drawn whole.
Sources and studies
- Wikipedia (en), Nagarakretagama (read in this pass): completed 1365; canto 14 list of Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Timor and the east
- General knowledge of Old Javanese and Old Balinese epigraphy and the archaeology of Java, recalled and not re-read in this pass (Boechari, Poerbatjaraka, Soekmono, Bernet Kempers)
- OMNIA board notes for the place (a lead, not a source)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.