© 2022 The Author(s). This is an open article under CC-BY-NC-SA license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) THE EXISTENCE OF THE WAPAUWE OLD MOSQUE IN KAITETU AS A TRACE OF ISLAM SPREAD IN MALUKU Johan Pattiasina 1 , Efilina Kisiya 2 , Jems Sopacua 3* , and Christofer Judy Manuputty 4 1,3 Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, University of Pattimura, Ambon, Indonesia. 2 Faculty of Humanity University of Debrecen, Hungary 4 Faculty Religion and Theology Vrije Universiteit, Nederland *Corresponding e-mail: jemssopacua24@gmail.com DOI: 10.31291/jlka.v20.i2.1067 Accepted: October 01, 2022; Revised: December, 16 2022; Published: December, 25 2022 ABSTRACT This study aims to describe the history of the Wapauwe Old Mosque including the architectural aspects and the objects in it. The study employed archaeological approach using a systematic procedure based on four main steps, namely: heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiog- raphy. Historical approach was taken to describe the historical background of the mosque. At the same time, the archaeological process was used to describe the physical structure of the mosque building. This study found that the Wapauwe Mosque is one of the oldest historical mosques in Maluku, located in Kaitetu State, Central Maluku Regency, Maluku Province. It was built in 1414 by an Islamic preacher, namely Perdana Jamilu. Wapauwe Mosque’s ancient characteristics can be seen from thatched leaves as the roof and gaba-gaba (sago fronds) as walls. The mosque was built without using nails in each connection segment. The function of pins was substituted by ties from ropes or gamuttu. At the four corners of the mosque's tributary, there was wood carved with calligraphy written: Muhammad (north-south corner) and Allah Muhammad (east-west junction). This study contributes to the literature of Islamic heritage in Nusantara by adding data about historic old mosques in Indonesia. This study promoted localized Islamic history to the people of Maluku as