Restoring the Cakra Donya Bell
A behind-the-scenes look at the months-long conservation process of Aceh's most famous artifact.
Said to be a gift from Admiral Zheng He to the Sultan of Pasai in the fifteenth century, the Cakra Donya bell has hung at the heart of Acehnese memory for six hundred years. When corrosion began threatening its engraved inscriptions, our conservation team knew the work could not wait.
Over nine months, specialists removed corrosive deposits layer by layer, stabilized the bronze surface and documented every mark on the bell's surface in high resolution. The inscriptions — including what may be the oldest written record connected to the archipelago's maritime history — are now legible again.
The bell returned to public display this month. Visitors can see it in the Main Pavilion, alongside the full documentation of the restoration process.
Published by Museum Aceh · Aug 18, 2026