1 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