Malaysian Studies

ASSESSMENT

 Mid-term tests (20% )

 Group Project (30%)
 Final Exam (50%)
PRE-HISTORIC MALAYSIA
 The history of Man is the history of
production and reproduction.
 Technology and human development as
the driving force – greater contact with
other social orders.
 Development of social organization
(simple to complex) and from crude to
more refined implements.
The Basis for Investigation
 Pre-history of a country has to be
investigated because it forms the
platform for future civilizations and
human culture.
 Archeology plays an integral role in the
reconstruction of groups and
communities.
 Material culture – food, implements etc.
Conceptual Issues

 Various issues emerged in the

reconstruction of the past – concepts
used include Paleolithic, Mesolithic,
Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron ages.
 Concepts originated from the West by
Western scholars through Western eyes
and based on Western experiences.
 Are these concepts appropriate under
Malaysian or Southeast Asian
conditions?
 Past and on-going research in Malaysia
and the region suggest that refinement
of such concepts is needed to get a
clearer and comprehensive picture of
the past.
 Other concepts to describe pre-historic
Malaya include ‘Neolithic Malaya’ and
‘Hoabinh Malaya’.
Cultural Development of Pre-
Historic Malaysia
 The various stages in the pre-historic
culture in Malaysia is defined according
to the technological development and
the characteristics of implements made
and the kinds of materials used.
 Among the stone implements used in
defining the various stages include axe,
stone blade, bronze bell, ceramic,
beads and others.
Paleolithic Culture
 Around 40,000 to 35,000 years ago in
Kota Tampan, Tingkayu (Sabah) and
Niah caves (Sarawak) – recent stone
age culture in Kota Tongkat, Pahang
(20,000 years ago).
 Inaccuracies in the term Paleolithic led
local archeologists labeling excavation
sites Niah I, II, III, IV and V – same for
Kota Tampan.
 Around 35,000 to 10,000 years ago
Man invented stone implements from
pebbles, axe and other stone
implements.
 Man further refined their implements in
the later stages of the stone age.
 The way of life of these early peoples
depended on subsistence economy –
hunting and gathering of jungle
produce.
 In Malaysia, with the exception of the
Niah Caves and Kota Tongkat, the
excavation sites for 40,000 – 11,000
years ago are sited on open land.
 It is highly probable that Man, at this
stage, found it easier to settle on open
land.
 Kota Tampan site (around 35,000 years
ago) is believed to be near a lake and
today far from rivers.
 Tingkayu is also believed to be near a
lake which is no longer in existence.
 The Niah Caves is about the only
Paleolithic site which started about
40,000 years ago situated in a cave.
 Around 11,000 years ago climatic
changes resulted in rise of sea level
submerging the Sunda Shelf and South
Chine Sea separating Borneo,
Sumatera, Philippines, Java, and Malay
peninsula.
 Following changes to the environment,
the various peoples were separated or
isolated.
 Main implements at this stage were still
made of stone.
 Towards the end of the stone age
ceramic implements were beginning to
be used.
 The stone age implements found during
this period were similar to that found in
Hoabinh, Vietnam, the culture may be
broadly termed as Hoabinh.
 The development of this culture was
found 11,000 – 5,000 years ago.
 Remains of settlements of Hoabinh
culture found in numerous numbers in
Malaysia.
 Peninsular malaysia – Gua Cha, Gua
Kechil, Gua Musang, Guar Kepak,
Jenderam Hilir and Gua Taah.
 Sabah – Gua Madai and Gua Mantong.
 Sarawak – Niah Caves.
 The remains of settlements mostly
found in limestone caves.
 Some remains of open settlements –
Gua Kepah in Seberang Perai and
Jenderam Hilir in Selangor.
 People of this mid-stone age were still
subsistence oriented.
 Interactions among groups may have
occurred through the use of dugouts or
land routes.
The Neolithic Culture
 From the Hoabinh culture Man in
Malaysia progressed into the Neolithic
stage around 5,000 years ago.
 Settlements in limestone caves and
open spaces.
 Technological advancement – more
varieties of stone implements and more
refined, also the use of ceramics.
 Remains of ceramics in Gua Musang,
Niah Caves, Gua Cha (Kelantan),
Jenderam Hilir (Selangor) and Gua
Tengku Lembu (Perlis).
 Animals hunted for food include
monkeys, pigs, deer and mousedeer.
 Sources of food dependent on the
location of settlements – sea, river –
fishing.
 Greater interaction and perhaps
technology transfer.
The Metal Culture
 From settlements of the Neolithic stage
evolved settlements that used metal
implements around 2,500 years ago.
 Possibility that bronze age in Malaysia
developed simultaneously with that of
iron culture.
 Based on archeological evidence found
in Selangor, Trengganu, Pahang and
Johor.
 At the social level interactions more
active and increased contact with
outside social orders.
 Settlements-ports as collection centers
and goods to be traded.
 Settlements and ports formed the basis
of early kingdoms (kerajaan) and the
evolvement of states.