SUMMARY
In late May 2007, human skeletal remains were accidentally found during excavation works trace the walls of the ancient Malacca Fort known as Bastion Courassa (Portuguese) and Fredrick Hendrick (Dutch) by staff of the Department of National Heritage Malaysia, the Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia in the compound of a Tourist Police Station in Bandar Hilir, Malacca (Figure 1). Further excavations until early September 2007 uncovered at least 10 human skeletons and hundreds of broken pieces of human bones.
The removal, conservation and analysis of the skeletal remains were carried out by researchers from the Centre For Archaeological Research Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang together with staff from the Department of National Heritage Malaysia. Four of the better preserved and more complete skeletons were removed for further study. The four skeletons were rather fragile and had to be conserved on-site as well as in the laboratory at the Centre For Archaeological Research Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. Prior to their removal, a tibia of one of the skeletons from the burial site was sent for AMS dating of the bone collagen at the Beta Analytic Limited Radiocarbon Laboratory in Florida, United States of America.
The results of the dating suggested a date of AD 1400 to 1450 for the skeletal remains and burials at the Malacca Fort.
THE BURIAL SITE AT THE MALACCA FORT
Since the discovery of the skeletal remains in the Malacca Fort, an area of about 6 x 6 metre square was excavated down to a maximum depth of about 110-120 cm by staff of the Department of National Heritage Malaysia (Figure 2). The excavations revealed that it was a burial site with more than 10 skeletons - the burial ground is believed to be much larger than the excavated area as suggested by the some of the unexcavated human skulls exposed at the site as well as some human bones found at the walls of the trenches. Also found were large number of loose human bones, broken tiles, ceramics, animal bones, shells, and coins scattered all over the site, especially in the upper layer of the site.
Observation of the finds and soil profile during the excavations suggested that the upper layer of the soil probably comprised backfill or “tanah tambak” with broken tiles, ceramic sherds, shells, coins and animal bones. All the intact skeletal remains appeared to have come from the burial ground, which is situated on the lower layer, about 80-120 cm deep.
A preliminary on-site examination of the burials revealed that all the four skeletons were laid in an extended position and placed in an East-West orientation with the head pointed west (Figure 3). Three of the skeletons (No. 1, 2, and 4) were identified as male while one of them (No. 3) was a female. Two of the skeletons (No. 2 and 3) – a male and a female - were found buried together in a single grave (Figure 4). Testing of the soil surrounding skeleton No. 1 at 90-100 cm showed slightly alkaline soil of pH 7.8, which must have helped preserved the skeletons in the burials for more than 600 years. Acidic soil would have destroyed the skeletons.
STUDY OF THE SKELETAL REMAINS
Four of the more complete skeletons were conserved on-site before they were removed for further study at the Centre For Archaeological Research Malaysia in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang (Figure 4). These skeletons were rather fragile and had to be conserved again in the laboratory at the Centre For Archaeological Research Malaysia (Figure 5). Three of the skeletons were identified as male while the other one was a female. Two of the skeletons – a male and a female – were found buried together in a single grave. Prior to their removal, a tibia of one of the skeletons from the burial site was sent for AMS dating of the bone collagen at the Beta Analytic Limited Radiocarbon Laboratory in Florida, United States of America. The results of the dating suggested a date of AD 1400 to 1450 or the skeletal remains and burials at the Malacca Fort. The skeletons from the Malacca Fort are now being preserved in a specially built dry cabinet under controlled temperature and humidity at the Centre For Archaeological Research Malaysia in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang for further study and analysis.
Figure 1. Map of the location of the excavated site at the Malacca Fort in Bandar Hilir.
Figure 2. Excavation of the human burials at the Malacca Fort site.
Figure 3. The four most complete and intact burials placed in an East-West orientation
Figure 4. Bones from each skeleton were conserved and removed individually.
Figure 5. Analysis of the skeletal remains from the Malacca Fort in USM
For high resolution pictures and more information please contact:
Associate Prof Stephen Chia
Centre For Archaeological Research Malaysia
USM, Penang
Tel: 04-6533888 x4118
Email: [email protected]
(Due to the large file size of the images, please inform Assoc. Prof. Chia which figures you would like him to send to you. Also, please note that due to another professional commitment, Assoc. Prof. Chia may not be able to respond to your emails until Monday 28 July)
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MALACCA AS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
On 7th July 2008, Malacca (or locally known as Melaka) was add to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Georgetown, the historic cities of the Straits of Malacca (Malaysia) have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century.
(adapted from the UNESCO World Heritage Site website)
