5 research outputs found
ANCIENT KEDAH IRON SMELTING EXPERIMENT IN PREPARATION FOR OFFERING ARCHAEOLOGICAL TOURISM HERITAGE PACKAGES AT SUNGAI BATU ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX (SBAC), BUJANG VALLEY, KEDAH, MALAYSIA
In order to obtain primary data related to the iron smelting activities, the experimental process of furnaces, tuyere and air
pumps making is carried out. The experiment has conducted since 2013 through the Knowledge Transfer Program (KTP) in Sungai
Batu Archaeological Complex (SBAC). Through the experiment, the clay in this complex has been used as a raw material for
furnaces and tuyere making while the bellows is made of wood, plywood and fabric. In order to complete the experiment regarding
the raw material that use for iron smelting, iron ore was taken through survey activities in the area of Kampung Batu 5, UiTM
Merbok and Bukit Tupah while charcoal was used from rubber wood in the rubber plantation near the Sungai Batu Archaeological
Complex. After the experiment was conducted, the results recorded were different from the findings of the iron ingot excavation at
the iron smelting site which is likely to occur due to the difference in technique and ratio of materials used during smelting
activities. Although the results obtained during the experiment are different, the smelting process can be used as the main
reference for offering tourism full packages related to the demonstration of iron smelting in this complex to foreign tourists
Evolution of the “ancient Kedah”: A study on urban forms at Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex (SBAC), Bujang Valley, Kedah, Malaysia
Archaeological research at the Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex (SBAC), which has been carried out until 2023, aims to complete the chronological data and urbanization process of the ancient Kedah. This study will especially prove that the ongoing urbanization process is aimed at developing the iron smelting industry and trade in ancient Kedah, especially in SBAC. This is because archaeological research at SBAC has proven that with the existence of the ancient Kedah iron smelting workshop at SBAC, river jetties, port management, rituals, and Buddhist monuments began to be erected, all of which can be determined by chronometric dating. The results of the chronometric dating have proven that the ancient Kedah Kingdom existed since the 6th century BC and was oriented towards the trade of iron resources, which allowed the use of the area to grow rapidly. The process of urbanization and land use clearly conforms to Lynch's principle, which emphasizes the principles of 1) paths, 2) edges, 3) districts, 4) nodes, and 5) landmarks in the development process of land use and urbanization in the complex
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis of iron ore at ancient Kedah iron smelting site, Sungai Batu archaeological complex, Bujang Valley, Kedah, Malaysia
Archaeological excavations carried out on 17 iron smelting workshops at the Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex have found the raw materials of iron industry (hematite, magnetite and geotite) with iron slag, tuyere, remains of furnace, and iron ingots. In order to obtain primary data related to the location of the raw materials of iron smelting obtained, the survey and mapping activities were carried out using geological maps and Sungai Petani maps around UiTM Merbok, Bukit Inas, Merbok, Batu 5 Village, Paya Suri Village and Ayer Nasi Hill, Semeling. The results of the iron ore survey were then subjected to scientific analysis to compare the mineral composition with the findings of iron ore at the iron smelting site. The results of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis of iron ore for major elements reveal the elements silica oxide (SiO₂), iron oxide (FeO₊), manganese oxide (MnO), calcium oxide (CaO), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and titanium oxide (TiO₂) as well as arsenic (As), Chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), scandium (S), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) for trace elements clearly show the raw material of iron smelting in the Archaeological Complex Sungai Batu is from the same source. Based on the analysis of the raw materials of iron smelting to enable the iron smelting industry in the Archaeological Complex to take place is taken from a distance of 1–11 km from this complex