ALOR STAR, Nov 11 — Since excavation work began at the Sungai Batu archaeological site in 2009, researchers have managed to dig various historic discovery that left a lasting impression on the region’s history of civilisation.
According to Universiti Sains Malaysia Centre for Global Archaeological Research director Prof Datuk Dr Mokhtar Saidin, the discoveries at Sungai Batu compelled data on regional history of civilisation to be updated.
“Based on the latest data in Sungai Batu, this is correct, data on history, especially on civilisation (in Southeast Asia) must be updated with new data,” he told Bernama through an e-mail recently.
Among the biggest and most important discoveries in Sungai Batu so far involves ritual monuments on the site of Sungai Batu 1 (B01), which has been confirmed scientifically to be about 2,000 years old.
He said the ritual monuments found in Sungai Batu was very unique and it is known to be the only such ritual building in the world so far.
The ritual monument structure found in Sungai Batu began with the construction of a circle in the centre and rectangle on the top with a small circle above it, he said.
The ritual monuments were associated with animist practices of the Sungai Batu people at that time, while some researchers are of the opinion these were to honour Gunung Jerai.
“The ritual monuments...at the beginning of its use during the early second century, it was probably use for animist rituals and later after the fifth century AD for the Hindu-Buddha religion,” he said.
Using the scientific approach called “OSL” (Optically Stimulated Luminescence), the Sungai Batu ritual monuments were discovered buried 1.5 metres in the ground and confirmed to be the oldest structure in Southeast Asia.
For comparison, the Borobudor temples in Indonesia were only built in the ninth century while the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which receives millions of tourists every year, was built in the 12th century.
And after a few years since its discovery, a team of researchers led by Prof Mokhtar is still struggling to find an answer to the many questions about the ritual monuments .
“Sorry, currently being reviewed,” is his simple answer when asked on the logic behind the unique design of the ritual monuments or other possibilities about them.
Another important finding in Sungai Batu involved iron smelting workshops, which according to him, proved the mastery of high technology among the ancient communities in Sungai Batu then.
Up to now, he said, researchers had discovered more than 20 furnaces used to smelt iron in Sungai Batu area, that proved the greatness of Kedah Tua (Old Kedah) civilisation that has ever existed in Sungai Batu.
Kedah Tua or its Sanskrit name “Kataha” he said, means “Iron Bowl” which suggested its benefits to the world iron industry and studies are being conducted to determine its reach in that industry.
According to Prof Mokhtar, the existence of ritual monuments and mastery of heavy technology by the community in Sungai Batu indicated the height of its civilisation with an orderly social system.
“Heavy industry with proof of ritual and others suggest the system of a high social hierarchy. It is a testament that Sungai Batu is a part of the old civilisation of Kedah Tua that covered the entire Lembah Bujang and surrounding areas and extented for 1000 km sq,” he added. — Bernama
