Arkeologi Pendidikan Islam: Jejak Material Madrasah dan Pusat Keilmuan Islam

Abstract

Studies on Islamic education have largely relied on textual sources, while the material traces of educational institutions have received limited systematic attention. This article aims to examine madrasahs as Islamic educational institutions through an archaeological perspective, positioning material remains as crucial sources for understanding the development of Islamic centers of learning. The study employs a qualitative-descriptive approach combined with historical and archaeological analysis of madrasah buildings, educational spatial arrangements, and artifacts associated with Islamic scholarly activities. The discussion demonstrates that madrasahs functioned not merely as formal learning spaces but also as institutionalized centers for the production and transmission of knowledge within Muslim societies. Material evidence of madrasahs reflects the level of educational organization, scholarly authority, and the integration of intellectual functions with the social and religious life of the community. This study argues that the archaeology of Islamic education provides a more concrete and comprehensive perspective on the history of Islamic education by connecting physical, institutional, and intellectual dimensions of madrasahs. Consequently, an archaeological approach contributes significantly to expanding the analytical framework of Islamic educational history and reinforces the role of madrasahs as foundational institutions of Islamic scholarly civilization.