ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur
Vol 11 No 2 (2026): ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur | April 2026 ~ June 2026

Lineage, cosmology, and sacred access: Reinterpreting Nawa Sanga in the Royal Compounds of Blahbatuh

I Gusti Ngurah Anom Gunawan (Diponegoro University)
Suzanna Ratih Sari (Diponegoro University)
Sukawi (Diponegoro University)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Jun 2026

Abstract

This research is grounded in the prevailing inclination within studies of Balinese palace architecture to interpret the Nawa Sanga cosmology chiefly as a symbolic framework of orientation, while its function as a governing apparatus in organizing hierarchical access and sacred spatial domains has not been thoroughly explored. In reality, the configuration of sacred space within a palace is shaped not solely by cosmological gradients but also by genealogical structures (pasemetonan), which establish ritual legitimacy, authority, and rights to spatial occupation. This study seeks to reconceptualize Nawa Sanga as a socio-spatial governance system that organizes hierarchical access and sacred space within Puri Ageng Blahbatuh and Puri Kaleran Jelantik. The research adopts a qualitative multiple case study methodology, incorporating spatial observation, architectural documentation, in-depth interviews, and genealogical analysis. The results reveal that hierarchical access and sacred spatial organization are generated through the interaction of three interconnected layers: cosmological orientation as a normative framework, genealogical structure as the foundation of legitimacy, and spatial mechanisms, such as thresholds and circulation patterns, as instruments of regulation. These findings affirm that Nawa Sanga operates not merely as a symbolic construct but as a regulatory system that sustains and reproduces social hierarchy through stratified control over access to sacred space.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ARTEKS

Publisher

Subject

Civil Engineering, Building, Construction & Architecture

Description

ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur is a medium of scholarly publication published by Architecture Study Program of Universitas Katolik Widya Mandira in collaboration with Indonesian Architect Association. It serves several goals i.e. being a medium of communication, dissemination and exchange of ...