Pieces of wood from a merchant ship during the Malacca Sultanate found

MELAKA, April 2 – A total 30 pieces of wood believed from a merchant ship in the time of the Malacca Sultanate were found recently during an archaeological dig at Pulau Melaka.

State Tourism, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman, Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis, said that besides the pieces of merbau (a hardwood), hundreds of old coins from the time of Sultan Mahmud (1488 - 1511) as well as the Dutch (VOC coins) and Portuguese occupation, and Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain sherds, were unearthed.

“They were discovered during a rescue archaeology by the archaeology section of the Department of National Heritage (JWN) and the Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim) since March 25,” he said during a press conference today.

He said the state government – via Perzim – will be taking immediate steps to ensure the excavation for artefacts, or national treasure, at Pulau Melaka continues so that they can be protected.

Among those present during the briefing were Perzim deputy chairman, Datuk Akramuddin Abdul Aziz, JWN deputy director-general, Mohamad Muda Bahadin, Perzim general manager, Drs Mohd Nasruddin Rahman, head researcher, Datuk Dr Dionysius S. K. Sharma and JWN archaeology section director, Rozairy Arbi.

He said the state government plans on giving an emergency allocation to ensure the project goes smoothly because more artefacts are believed to be buried here.

He said special instruments like ground penetrating radar (GPR) are being used to locate the sunken ship and other artefacts because of a higher sea level and seawall construction since 2015.

At the same time, the artefacts are being analysed to date them, said Muhammad Jailani.

He also said that they will be put on display for the public at the Kompleks Pelancongan Samudera Perzim.

-- BERNAMA