Ref ID:	22602
Ref Type:	Book Section
Authors:	Mokhtar Saidin, Abdullah, Jeffrey Jalil Osman, Azman Abdullah,
Title:	Issues and problems of previous studies in the Bujang Valley and the discovery of Sungai Batu
Date:	2011
Source:	Bujang Valley and early civilisations in Southeast Asia
Place of Publication:	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Publisher:	Department of National Heritage, Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture
Abstract:	The discovery of the Sungai Batu complex by the Centre for Global Archaeological Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2007 is of great significant in understanding the early civilisations in Malaysia. The complex was found during a scientific palaeoenvironmental reconstruction study. A total pf 97 mounds were mapped and identified in 3km2 area that has great archaeological potential. To date, excavations at 16 mounds revealed ritual monuments, a riverside jetty built in the 2nd century CE, and iron smelting sites that were used from the 1st century CE. The discovery of the iron smelting industry in this complex showed that the Sungai Batu civilisation had an economic base. These new findings give a more holistic and complete picture of the Bujang Valley civilisation and should lead to a significant re-evaluation of the evidence that has been accumulated since the 1840s. Based on the early research results, the Bujang Valley civilisation was thought to date as early as the end of the 4th century CE and to be primarily a Hindu-Buddhist site (Coedes, 1968). These new finds with chronometric dating (radiocarbon and OSL) allow us to re-write not onl the history of Malaysian civilisation but also that of the region. To date, the important discovery of a 110 CE monument meant Sungai Batu provides the earliest evidence of a monument (with chronometric dates) in Southeast Asia.
Date Created:	3/26/2015
Editors:	Chia, Stephen Ming Soon Andaya, Barbara Watson
Page Start:	16
Page End:	26