From Sembalun Lawang Village, East Lombok, Mount Rinjani rises majestically against the blue sky of Lombok Island. At its foothills stretch rolling hills covered with savanna grass mixed with brown earth, forming a dramatic landscape.

Behind this beauty lies a tragic ancient memory passed down through generations: the catastrophic eruption of Mount Samalas in 1257, which destroyed settlements and forced residents to flee across Lombok Island.

This tragedy is recorded in the ancient manuscript Babad Lombok, written on palm leaves. It tells how Mount Samalas raged for seven days:

“Mount Rinjani collapsed and Mount Samalas fell apart. Floods of rocks thundered, destroying Pamatan Village. Houses collapsed and were swept away by mud into the sea. Many people died For seven days, massive earthquakes shook the earth. People ran; some fled to the hills.Refugees scattered to Jeringo, Samulia, Borok, Bandar, Pepumba, Pasalun, Serowok, Piling, Ranggi, Sembalun, Pajang, Sapit, and many other areas.All fled with their queen and rebuilt their lives after the earthquakes ended.”

Some survivors migrated through Pilin Forest in Sambalia toward Labuan Lombok and Selaparang, where their descendants lived for centuries before eventually returning to Sembalun, forming what is now known as Sembalun Period II.Unfortunately, no written local records remain—only oral traditions passed down through generations.