Authors : Zuliskandar Ramli, Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman, Muhamad Shafiq Mohd Ali, Mohd Rohaizat Abdul Wahab and Muhammad Afiq Omar
Abstract: Archaeological research in Pulau Kelumpang, Matang, Perak carried out by I.H.N Evans since 1928 has led to the rediscovery of the proto-historic sites. Evans conducted 2 months of excavation in 1932 and discovered human skulls, beads and blue glass. Evans suggested that the archaeological finds from Tanjung Rawa belonged to a single early Indian settlement dating to the 6th century AD even though the finds ranged from carnelian Pallava seal to Chinese or Siamese celadon. In 1955, G. de G. Sieveking conducted the second excavation in Kuala Selinsing. He recovered a remarkable total of >3000 glasses and polished stone beads from an 18 inch layer. Sieveking suggested that the beads were mixed with pottery of various periods and the decorated pottery from his excavations was of Indian origin. Sieveking observations of the stratigraphy led him to suggest that three phases of occupation could be recognized in the history of the site. The first was the proto-Malay or proto-Indonesian phase associated with stoneware, boat burials and opaque glass beads. The second phase was associated with decorated coarse stoneware which was associated with Indian wares. The celadons were from the surface and represented the third phase. H.G. Quaritch Wales suggested that the site from Kuala Selinsing belonged to the Hinduized Indonesian settlers who lived there during the 6-12th centuries AD. Lamb in his reconstruction of the evolution of various types of port on the Malay Peninsula suggested that Kuala Selinsing was a “subsidiary entreport” and both Lamb and Peacock saw Kuala Selinsing as contemporary with the earliest Indianized entreports on the Peninsula. In 1987, Nik Hassan Shuhaimi conducted a new excavation in Pulau Kelumpang and successfully unearthed eleven burials, house post, wooden rice mortar, earthenware, stone artefacts, food remains, glass and stone beads, ear rings and organic materials. Based on the C14 dates, the site is believed to be inhabited between 200BC-1000AD. The settlement acted as a feeder point for the main entreport in the Bujang Valley. Nik Hassan Shuhaimi also suggested that the maritime people of Kuala Selinsing were not Hindu but were still ideologically in the pre-Indianized stage. The latest excavation was conducted from May to August this year, led by Nik Hassan Shuhaimiand it successfully unearthed five burials and other artefacts such as house posts, earthenware, beads, stone artefacts, food remains and organic materials. The main objectives of the excavation are firstly to conduct DNA analysis on the human skeletons that have been found during the excavation and secondly to get more archaeological data systematically from the excavation sites.
Zuliskandar Ramli, Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman, Muhamad Shafiq Mohd Ali, Mohd Rohaizat Abdul Wahab and Muhammad Afiq Omar, 2016. Archaeological Discoveries of 200BC Coastal Settlement in Pulau Kelumpang, Matang, Perak. The Social Sciences, 11: 3264-3270.