The Prehistoric Human Presence in Gua Kajang: Ancient Lifeways in the Malay Peninsula
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JMBRAS, DECEMBER 2018 VOL 91 PART 2, NUMBER 315, pp. 1–18 The Prehistoric Human Presence in Gua Kajang: Ancient Lifeways in The Malay Peninsula Hsiao Mei Goh and Mokhtar Saidin Abstract The importance of Gua Kajang (Kajang Cave) as a prehistoric archaeological site in Peninsular Malaysia has been recognized since the early 1900s and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. Over the past 10 years, archaeological excavations and research in this cave have produced evidence of prehistoric occupation that broadens the understanding of prehistoric cave archaeology in the Lenggong Valley. This article presents the early lifeways of prehistoric people of Gua Kajang between 11,000 and 4,000 years ago based on two human burials and associated finds, including stone artefacts, fauna remains and earthenware pottery. The material indicates that the early humans of Peninsula Malaysia were cave- dwellers or hunter-gatherers who depended heavily on forest resources. The Authors Hsiao Mei Goh (corresponding author) is a research fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of New South Wales. She is also an adjunct faculty member of the Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR), Universiti Sains Malaysia. Mokhtar Saidin is a faculty member of Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR), Universiti Sains Malaysia. His expertise is in the field of palaeo- environment, Palaeolithic culture and stone tools. He has led Palaeolithic studies in Peninsular and East Malaysia, covering key sites in Southeast Asian archaeology. Email: Hsiao Mei Goh: [email protected]; [email protected] Mokhtar Saidin: [email protected] Keywords: Lenggong Valley, cave occupation, hunter-gatherers, human burials, late Pleistocene, Holocene 2 | hsiao mei goh and mokhtar saidin Introduction Gua Kajang is a natural limestone tunnel located in the Lenggong Valley, Perak, in northern Peninsular Malaysia (Figs 1, 2). It served as the main thoroughfare connecting the village to Lenggong town prior to World War II and is one of the earliest archaeological sites discovered in the country. Initial explorations at this cave in 1917 led Evans to suggest that it was occupied by prehistoric man during the Mesolithic to Neolithic age.1 The cave was subsequently investigated by Williams-Hunt, Chia and Zuraina, but some issues related to the cave chronology and prehistoric culture remained unresolved.2 In 2007, an excavation was carried out in the Gua Kajang to confirm existing archaeological data and resolve issues arising from earlier research. The 2007 excavation unearthed a 1.6-metre-thick layer of cultural deposits containing two human burials (labelled GK 1 and GK 2). This article discusses the lifeways of prehistoric people of Gua Kajang between 11,000 and 4,000 years ago based on these human burials and associated finds, which included stone artefacts, fauna remains and earthenware pottery. Archaeological Background of the Lenggong Valley The Lenggong Valley is a sub-district of the state of Perak, located in northern Peninsular Malaysia. Years of archaeological research pointed to Lenggong Valley as an important prehistoric settlement area in Malaysia, with an occupation spanning from the Palaeolithic period to the Metal age.3 The archaeological significance of the valley has been known since the early twentieth century as a result of archaeological work by Evans, Callenfels and Collings.4 Several inland caves and shelters in the Lenggong Valley showed indications of prehistoric human occupation.5 Of the many caves and rock shelters spread over the Lenggong Valley, seventy-two have been mapped and eight of these have been archaeologically investigated. Most of the caves or shelters were used for habitation and burial during prehistoric times, between 13,000 and 1,500 years ago,6 and sixteen prehistoric burials attributed to the Late-Pleistocene and Holocene have been found in four cave sites. The human remains were found together with artefacts, suggesting that certain rituals and preparations took place prior to the burial ceremony. Detailed analysis of skeletal remains from Gua Gunung Runtuh, dated around 11,000 years old, suggests that the early inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia were Australomelanesoid hunter-gatherers.7 Stone artefacts found at these sites are dominated by flake tools and pebble tools made from limestone, quartz and quartzite,8 and earthenware pottery found in the upper layers of the 1 Evans (1918). 2 Williams-Hunt (1951: 185; 1952: 190); Chia (1997); Zuraina (1998). 3 Zuraina (2003). 4 Evans (1918); Callenfels and Evans (1928); Collings (1938). 5 Chia (2006). 6 Ibid. 7 Zuraina (1994, 2005). 8 Mokhtar (1997). prehistoric gua kajang | 3 Fig. 1: The front view of Gua Kajang. Fig. 2: The location of Gua Kajang and Lenggong Valley in Peninsular Malaysia. caves are well-developed in terms of types and decorations. These earthenware collections are comparable to the Neolithic earthenware collections from the cave sites in southern Thailand.9 Background to the Study Gua Kajang (100⁰58.883’ E and 5⁰07.571’ N, 72 m above sea level) passes through the foothills of Bukit Kepala Gajah limestone massif at Kampung Gelok, a village in the Lenggong Valley. It is approximately 60 m long with entrances facing north and south. The north entrance is about 25 m wide and 12 m high. The cave has two chambers: the main chamber consists of a front and back cave separated 9 Chia (1997; 2005: 204). 4 | hsiao mei goh and mokhtar saidin by a limestone column; the second chamber, located adjacent to the right of the south entrance, is small and dark (Fig. 3). The original archaeological landscape of Gua Kajang as described by Evans is untraceable as the cave floor has been badly disturbed.10 A few disturbed pits measuring about 25–30 m2 in the main chamber are due at least in part to anthropogenic activities such as illegal diggings. The area at the front cave was excavated by Evans and Chia.11 In 2007, an area in the east part of the front cave, which appeared to be the only intact area, was chosen as the excavation area for this project. Ivor Hugh Norman Evans investigated Gua Kajang over two seasons of excavations in 1917. According to Evans, the cave was intermittently used by indigenous groups and he found no sign of site disturbance.12 The initial investigation uncovered an area of 82 m2 in the main chamber and yielded high densities of freshwater shells, stone tools, hematite, fauna remains, human bones, earthenware vessels and sherds. The second season covered an area 8 m2 and unearthed some earthenware pottery, comprising both plain and decorated pieces, and fragments of cranial bones (cranium, mandible and teeth), ribs and finger bones. The bones were found in situ and were fragile and much impregnated with the lime from the stratum in which they lay.13 Further observation on the teeth led Duckworth to suggest that these remains belonged to an elderly dolichocephalic person who resembled the Australian aborigines.14 Stone tools uncovered at the site have Mesolithic and Neolithic features similar to ‘Sumatralith’ pebble tools, flakes and polished stone axes. The pottery consisted of small footed dishes, black- and red-coloured ware; some fragments of pipkin were found in the upper layers of the cave (approximately 30 cm from the surface).15 Overall, Evans concluded that the deposits in Gua Kajang were not of any great thickness, further indicating that the cave was only occasionally used by prehistoric man during the Mesolithic and Neolithic period.16 Between 1945 and 1952, Williams-Hunt carried out reconnaissance surveys in Gua Kajang and produced a brief inventory of surface finds from the cave that included red-slipped pottery ware, several Mesolithic axes and a Neolithic chisel. According to his report, the cave had been disturbed by guano diggers during the 1940s.17 In 1995, Chia re-excavated Gua Kajang searching for prehistoric pottery samples and uncovered five pottery sherds in the front cave.18 The research reported in this article was designed to solve issues arising from previous research in the Gua Kajang and to rescue archaeological relics from destructive anthropogenic activities. Zuraina observed that the main objective of archaeological research in the Lenggong Valley since 1987 was to construct a local 10 Evans (1918). 11 Ibid.; Chia (1997). 12 Evans (1918). 13 Ibid. 14 Duckworth (1934: 154). 15 Evans (1918). 16 Ibid. 17 Williams-Hunt (1951: 185, 1952: 190). 18 Chia (1997). prehistoric gua kajang | 5 Fig. 3: The floor plan and excavation plan of Gua Kajang. Fig. 4: The 2007 excavation at the eastern part of the front cave. 6 | hsiao mei goh and mokhtar saidin and national prehistoric chronological sequence.19 However, while Gua Kajang has a long archaeological research history, the exact timeframe of prehistoric occupation has not been determined.20 The prehistoric chronology in work by Evans and Williams-Hunt assigned Gua Kajang to the Mesolithic-Neolithic age without any absolute dating.21 More recently, Zuraina produced radiocarbon dates of 6,380 ± 60 (Beta 28157) and 8,970 ± 140 (Beta 28156) for Gua Kajang, but these dates did not fit the cultural context of Gua Kajang and only allowed her to infer that this cave was occupied by prehistoric man during the early to mid-Holocene period.22 Apart from difficulties establishing cave chronology, the data also create challenges for studying the archaeology of Gua Kajang. The methodology of Evans and Williams-Hunt is questionable,23 and the excavations were poorly documented.24 Chia conducted his excavation in Gua Kajang more systematically owing to the use of ‘total excavation’ techniques, but his was thematic research designed to search for prehistoric earthenware sherds without looking for correlations with cultural artefacts in the archaeological deposits.25 The Excavation of Gua Kajang, 2007 Season In 2007, the east part of the front cave, which appeared to be the only undisturbed area, was selected as the main excavation site (Figs 3, 4).