Gantong of Kelantan
This short note by Anker Rentse (1933) describes several historical gantang (rice measures) from Kelantan, documenting their inscriptions, materials, and volumes relative to the modern standard.
Summary
Rentse examines four measures: a bronze gantang found near the mouth of the Sokor river, inscribed with the date 1222 A.H. (1807 A.D.) and attributed to Sultan Muhammad I (Raja Muhammad I, Marhum Mandul); a wooden gantang of Chengal with a brass band and tin tera (seal) dated 1269 A.H. (1852 A.D.), from the reign of Sultan Muhammad II; a coconut-shell chupak of the same period; and a tin gantang dated 1319 A.H. (1901 A.D.). The inscription on the bronze gantang reads “Ini-lah gantang (perbelanjaan?) sukatan (Sultan al’adil?)” and is translated as “a currency and measure,” reflecting the historical use of rice as a medium of exchange in Kelantan (p. 241). The older measures are all smaller than the present standard (1 gallon = 1 gantang = 4 chupak = 8 ling), ranging from 6.6 to 7 pints against the modern 8 pints (p. 243). Rentse also notes that the Rajas affixed their tera seals to the top of measures to detect tampering, and that the gantang in Kelantan is used not only for rice but also for meat, fish, and salt (p. 244).