More than 500-year-old ship, coins found
Melaka government to ensure excavation at Pulau Melaka continues so that artefacts can be protected.
MELAKA: A total 30 pieces of wood believed to be from a merchant ship in the time of the Malacca Sultanate more than 500 years ago were found recently during an archaeological dig at Pulau Melaka.
State tourism, heritage and culture committee chairman 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 shards, were unearthed.
“They were discovered during a rescue archaeology by the archaeology section of the National Heritage Department (JWN) and the Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim) since March 25,” he told 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 Akramuddin Abdul Aziz, JWN deputy director-general Mohamad Muda Bahadin, Perzim general manager Mohd Nasruddin Rahman, head researcher Dionysius SK Sharma and JWN archaeology section director, Rozairy Arbi.
Jailani said the state government plans on giving an emergency allocation to ensure the project goes smoothly because more artefacts are believed to be buried there.
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.
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Jailani also said that they will be putting the artefacts on display for the public at the Kompleks Pelancongan Samudera Perzim.