PUTRAJAYA: A prehistoric human skeleton was found in Gua Keledung Kecil at Lembah Nenggiri, Kelantan, along with several other artifacts in November last year.
The tourism, arts and culture ministry, in a statement, said the skeletal remains were found during rescue archaeological excavations for the Nenggiri hydropower project.
The team of researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia was led by Malay World and Civilisation Institute (Atma) senior research fellow Zuliskandar Ramli.
“The discovery of the skeleton in Gua Keledung Kecil is one of the country’s important archaeological heritage finds.
“Indirectly, it will contribute to the discovery of new facts related to burial practices and the socio-cultural evolution of prehistoric life, especially in Lembah Nenggiri, Kelantan,” the ministry said.
According to the ministry, the human skeleton was found in a curled-up foetal position. Stone tools were found around the skeleton.
They included grinding stones, a pounding tool, a hand-held axe, a chipping tool made from slate, and quartz crystal often used in prehistoric burial rituals.
“The way the skeleton was buried was the practice of the earliest prehistoric people, who had inhabited the Lembah Nenggiri area 14,000 years ago,” the ministry said.
Teeth and snail shell samples will be sent to the Beta Lab in the US for chronometric dating.
Tenaga Nasional Berhad will fund a mini gallery near the Nenggiri Dam to house all the finds from Lembah Nenggiri. The gallery will be a tourism destination, the ministry said. - FMT
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