Some kind of female dance known as "bedhaya" existed on Java at least as early as the Majapahit Empire. Indeed, some of the steps of the modern dance are said to be as old as the 3rd century. However, the modern form is traditionally dated to the court of Sultan Agung of Mataram (reigned 1613–1645). Unfortunately there is almost no historical evidence to back up the claims made about the advances in the arts in Sultan Agung's courts, and the existence of the dance is not clearly documented until the late 18th century.