Symbolic Landscapes of Salt Springs in the Krayan Highlands, North Kalimantan

Ulce Oktrivia

Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN), Indonesia; ulce.oktrivia@gmail.com

Saltwater springs in the interior highlands of Krayan, North Kalimantan, served not only as sources of salt – a key commodity in long‑standing barter networks connecting the Bahau, Pujungan, and Apo Kayan regions with the Saben people – but also held profound ritual significance, materially marked by petroglyphs and a crocodile‑shaped earth mound. This study examines the symbolic meanings embedded in these features at two spring sites: Pa’ Truntun in Terang Baru and Pa’ Nado in Long Midang, both within Krayan Induk District. Beyond their economic role, the petroglyphs and the crocodile mound are interpreted as material expressions of a multidimensional system in which salt economy, territorial claims, ritual practice, and cosmological belief were inseparably intertwined. The petroglyphs sanctified the extraction space, transforming a natural resource into a socially and spiritually guarded asset. By designating the saltwater springs as a “cosmic centre” or the abode of supernatural guardians, with the crocodile mound symbolising courage and the collective strength of the community, past societies ensured that control over this vital commodity was legitimised by moral and sacred authority that transcended purely economic interests. Understanding their symbolic meaning offers critical insight into how Indigenous communities of interior Borneo constructed and sustained complex socio‑economic networks through the monumentalisation of strategically vital resource sites.