KUALA LUMPUR – The recent archaeological findings in Lembah Bujang’s Bukit Choras have shed more light on the Ancient Kedah communities, such as their beliefs and way of life in the once thriving maritime port civilisation.
An almost complete life-sized Buddha, and two headless Buddha stucco statues dated between the 7th to 9th century were found at the site, with other relics, including three rectangular stones inscribed with “Sāgaramati-paripṛcchā” (Questions of Sāgaramatī) in Sanskrit.
Does size matter?
The age of Bukit Choras relics indicate that the site may be older than Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia, which serves to pinpoint where it stands in the timeline of regional civilisations.
Despite being older, the structures in Ancient Kedah are nowhere near the size and grandeur of those in Angkor, and there are reasons for that.
This includes the terrain and accessibility to raw building materials, the population size (manpower, food supply, etc), and the reasons for which the structures were built in the first place.
Recent studies have indicated that the candi (temples) in Lembah Bujang were likely built for merchants who stopped for a short period of time at the ports to trade or wait for the change of winds – negating the need for massive structures.
Like older places of worship in the port cities of Melaka and Penang, the religious structures were likely built by the rulers and people in the settlements for the benefit of the merchants who contributed to the local economy.
The locals may or may not have embraced these religions themselves. It is likely that the communities in the settlement’s interior, and the coastal Orang Laut (sea people) may have had their own animistic beliefs they held onto before Islam was introduced into the area.
What do the findings at Bukit Choras tell us?
The Bukit Choras findings are significant because the near well-preserved sculptures made of stucco enable regional comparative studies to be carried out.
These studies will likely give a clearer insight into the communities who lived in Ancient Kedah, their beliefs, culture, and connection with neighbouring civilisations, in terms of art and technology, and the role of Ancient Kedah in the maritime trade network.
Recent archeological findings indicate that this kingdom, which was part of the ancient maritime silk route, was likely made up of several settlements along the shores of the straits of Melaka.
In the northern state of Kedah, it is estimated that ancient settlements can be found over a 400 sq kilometre area, which over the centuries have been taken over by nature and development – be it forests, paddy fields, oil palm and rubber plantations, newer settlements, villages, housing areas, factories and other developments.
The Buddhist candi, statues and artefacts in Bukit Choras, for example, were found under a mound of soil and overgrown forest area. The ancient port of Sg Batu – the site of a massive iron smelting industry – lay under an oil palm plantation.
The port of Pengkalan Bujang meanwhile is situated near a paddy field where fossils and seashells can still be found – an indication that the area was once a seabed.
Revisiting timelines and narratives
With these findings, and now the discoveries at Bukit Choras, what we know in our history books about Bujang Valley, including the timelines, have to be revisited while keeping in mind that research is dynamic. No one knows how future findings in the valley will change, or add on to the facts we have today.
There are several theories about when this civilisation existed, however evidence based comparative studies show that Ancient Kedah likely existed between 2 and 10 century AD. Some studies suggest an even earlier timeline – 788 BC but this is still being debated.
Ancient Kedah’s decline was in tandem with geological changes which led to the shoreline along the coast moving further west, which pushed the settlements further inland. This meant that the ports were no longer accessible by boat.
More sites yet to be excavated
Bukit Choras is just one of many sites all over Bujang Valley. To date, a total of 97 archaeological sites have been discovered in the valley, which lies at the foot of Gunung Jerai.
Of these, 54 sites have been excavated and the rest are pending archaeological digs.
There is much more to be discovered about Ancient Kedah, and this will likely not be completed in our lifetime, however, the discoveries of today will be a part of future narratives – a piece of the puzzle on our country’s past. – July 3, 2024
