The Archaeological Heritage of the Straits of Malacca Nik Hassan ...

Sunken Ships and Treasures in the Straits of
Malacca: The Archaeological Heritage of the
Straits of Malacca
Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abd. Rahman
Shahriman Mohd Ghazali
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Bangi

Introduction
• The region was a large single landmass until the late
Pleistocein (circa 10,000 years BP)
• Present Malacca strait took shape around 5000 years BP
• Settlements emerge along the coast followed by shipping
from around 2500 years BP.
• Cultural heritage means the natural and physical
resources that contribute to an understanding and
appreciation of our nation’s history, culture and national
identity.

Land Remains and Place names
• Numerous references and description from ancient text
including the Greeks, Arabs, Hindu and Buddhist literature
on settlements, trading centres and polities in this region.
• ie; Takola, Kidaram, Tun-sun, Fo-lo-an, Kalah, Lang-yashia,
takuapa, Mo-lo-yu and etc
• Some place names complimented by archaeological
researches and finds prehistoric harbours Klang, Morib,
Muar
• Material cultures; Bronze drums, socketed tools (500BC)
• Dongson material cultures of Vietnam
• Bujang Valley (5 th century AD) settlement @ harbours

Maritime Cultural Landscape of the
Malacca Strait
• MCL comprises the whole network of sailing routes, old as
well as new, with portsand harbours along the coast and
it’s related construction and remains of human activity,
underwater as well as terestrial.
• MCL displays a chronological stratification pattern with
each layer (containing material culture and environmental
elements) been shaped and transformed by human activity.
• To Archaeologists very important
• To treasure hunters what MCL?? $£RM$£?

Three types of Malacca Straits MCL resources
1. Shipwrecks - types, building tradition, technology,
navigation, cargo (trade, personal, provision,
operation), armament, social structure and etc.
2. Land remains and Place names
- maritime structures, monument, material culture, place
names from literature and ethnology.
3. The Environment and Site Formation Processes (SFP)
-Understanding the relationship between artefact
assemblages and environment. Sort of quality control in
archaeology.

Material Remains: Shipwrecks; types &
archaeology
• Earliest water transport in the SOM were dugouts or
dugout based boats probably circa 500 B.C.
• Boat shape show similarity throughout the world during
this time ie: dugout base, stitching, overlapping planks and
use of sail.
• “Hugging the coast” type of sea voyage Dongson
material culture of Annam
• Commercial trade via the SOM began late 4 th century A.D.

The Dhows and Islam in S.E.A
• Indian, Arab and Persian ships – Boom, Baghla, zarouk,
sambuk, bedan and etc
• Among the earliest to use the S.O.M circa early 5 th
century AD – Chinese trade
• Boom - older and more traditional
- teak and palm wood built, double ended, lashed and
sewn planking, lateen sail, single deck, tiller rudder
• Baghla – 17 th century plus European influenced design
- transom stern, lofty decorated poop, big rudder in
rudder trunk.

Dhows and Islam in S.E.A
• Archaeological records of early dhows in this region are
extremely scarce. A rare example is the Belitung wreck
• Archaeological evidence is crucial for the understanding of
the heritage of the Malays and other Muslim race in the
region.
• Knowledge about the muslim seafaring culture, practice,
navigation, practice of Islam on board ships and
shipbuilding technology.

A Baghla ( Goldsmith, 1969)
A Boom (Green, 1996)

An artist impression of Malacca in the
15 th century
An muslim seaman performing
solat on board a dhow

Junks and the ceramics trade
• Junks had been in the SOM since the 9th century AD.
• General name for the type of ship belonging to the far east
from China to South East Asian states.
• 3 potential junk types based on built and fastening design
sailed the SOM namely the;
• Tradisional Chinese junk (Quanzhou ship type) – Keeled
V-shaped hull, iron fasteners
• South East Asian type- (S.E.Asian ships)- tropical
hardwood, wooden dowels, keelless flat bottomed
• South China Sea type – (hybrid Chinese design built in
S.E.A shipyard)- hardwood built, dowels and iron nails.

Quanzhou ship
wreck site 1970’s
Reconstruction of the
Quanzhou ship, a traditional
Chinese sea-going junk.

Artists impression of various other junks including
the S.C. Sea and S.E. Asian junks

A drawing of Chinese junks engaged in a sea fight

Junks and the ceramics trade
• They were dominant seafaring power during the 14th and
early 15th century – many were wrecked especially in
South China Sea and most probably so in the SOM.
• Commonly associated with the oriental ceramics trade
hence popular treasure hunters bounty.
• The sole recovery of the ceramics undermine the
importance and existence of other material culture and it’s
assemblages.
• Treasure hunting have a negative effect on the heritage as
far as archaeology and heritage conservation are
concerned.

Some wreck names and finds belonging to the junk group reported in South East Asia
(source Green, 1996; Brown & Sjostrand 2002; URL: maritime-explorations.com)
Wreck/ Site Location lost /(found Brief comment
Ko Si Chang 1 Gulf of 1573-1620 Thai junk (S.E.Asian type?)
Thailand (1983) archaeologically excavated and published
Ko Si Chang 3 Gulf of 1405-1433 Thai junk (S.E.Asian type?)
Thailand (1985) archaeologically excavated and published
Turiang S. C. Sea 1370’s Chinese junk (Quanzhou type) Salvaged
Malaysia (1998) for ceramics
Pattaya Gulf of 16
Thailand
th century Quanzhou type junk; archaeologically
(1980) excavated and published
Nanyang S.C. Sea 1380’s S.C. Sea type junk; salvaged for ceramics
Malaysia (1990’s)
Bakau Karimata St. 15
Indonesia
th century Chinese junk; archaeologically surveyed
(1999) and published
Brunei S.C. Sea Late 15
Brunei
th cty Chinese junk (Quanzhou type?); surveyed
(1998) and excavated
Longquan S.C. Sea 1400’s S.C. Sea type junk; salvaged for ceramics
Malaysia (1996)
Royal Nanhai S.C. Sea mid 15
Malaysia
th cty S.C.Sea type junk; excavated and salvaged
(1998) for ceramics
Binh Thuanh Vietnam 1608
(2002)
Chinese junk; surveyed and excavated
Xuande S.C.Sea 1540’s No wreck??; salvaged for ceramics
Malaysia (1996)
Singtai S.C. Sea 1550’s S.C. Sea type; surveyed and sampling of
Malaysia (2001) ceramics
Desaru S.C.Sea 1830’s Chinese junk; salvaged for ceramics
Malaysia (2001)
Vung Tau South 1690’s Chinese lorcha; surveyed and excavated
Vietnam (1991)

Carracks, Galleons and East Indiamen
• The Portuguese pioneered the Europeans quests for the
riches of the east in the early 16 th century on board the
Carracks or Naos
• These ships played an important role in the Portuguese
conquest and the fall of the Malay Sultanates.
• Many ships might had sunk during the subsequent conflicts
within the region .
• example Flor De La Mar.

Impressions of Portuguese Carracks (NMM)

Portuguese Carracks and galleys off a Mediteranean Coast (NMM)

Carracks, Galleons and East Indiamen
• The Dutch came next with the early generation of the
smaller but much efficient galleons.
• The major design differences include the slender and lower
built hull, the disappearance of the towering fore and
sterncastle, ordinance arrangements on decks and etc.
• The Battle of Cape Rachado 1606 saw many European
ships wrecked at Bambek shoal.
• Risdam (1726) was a rare well preserved wreck of a VOC
fluit

Reproduction of the Drawing of The Battle of Cape Rachado (Bound,1996)

Illustration of the Nassau
excavation (Bound, 1996)

A dutch soldier c. 1607
Drawing of a Dutch warship similar to Nassau

Carracks, galleons and East Indiamen
• British East India Company ships were dominant in the
late 18 th century and through to the 19 th century
• The Diana (c.1817) wrecked of Tg. Bidara and salvaged in
1994
• The Caroline, another country ship wrecked at Bambek
shoal

A British East India Company country ship similar to the Diana and Caroline

Some European wreck names reported from the Malacca Straits (source: Bound, 1996;
Brown & Sjostrand, 2002)
Wreck/ Site lost/ (found) Location Brief comment
Nassau 1606
(1993)
Diana 1817
(1993)
Middleburg 1606
(1993)
Sao Salvador 1606
(1993)
Dom Duarte’s 1606
Galleon
(1993)
Caroline 1816
(not found)
Flor De La Mar
Sao Simao
1511
(not found)
Todos os Santos
Erasmus
Santa Cruz
Nossa Senhora De
Conceicao
Santo Antonio
Sao Nicolao
1606?
The battle
before
Malacca after
battle of Cape
Rachado
Bambek
Shoal
Off Tanjung
Bidara
Bambek
Shoal
Bambek
Shoal
Bambek
Shoal
Bambek
Shoal
Northeast
Sumatera
Malacca
waters
VOC warship; archaeologically excavated,
published, recovered artifacts sent to
National Museum.
British East India Co. country ship;
excavated mainly for Chinese ceramics
cargo.
VOC warship; location identified from
historical and magnetometer survey
Portuguese galleon; location identified
from historical and magnetometer survey
Portuguese galleon; location identified
from historical and magnetometer survey
British East India Company country ship
Portuguese carrack?; the most popular yet
elusive wreck despite intensive search
A mixture of Portuguese carracks and
galleons; based on historical accounts from
the battle of Cape Rachado and the Battle
before the fall of Malacca into Dutch
hands.
Many wrecks were either destroyed by the
Dutch warships or self-destroyed by
setting on fire to avoid falling into the
Dutch hands.

Early Traditional Malay vessel ( the Prahus)
• Although numerous names for the prahus were mentioned
in the Malay Annal, the archaeological evidence of early
Malay vessels remain elusive.
• Current knowledge on early Malay shipbuilding and
seafaring traditions are based on literature resources of
foreign historical explorers and writers. innaccurate and
debatable
• Archaeological record are crucial for understanding the
true maritime heritage of the Malays

A Malay coastal trader
A flying prahu/prau
Impression of a Lanchara

Land remains and place names
• As mentioned in the earlier part by Prof. Dato’ Nik Hassan

Wreck / Site formation Processes
• Study of the surrounding environmental processes that
shaped an archaeological site
• natural and anthropological influence
• Identify filters and scramblers important in analysis of
artefact assemblages
• Multidiciplinary involvement and participation.

site formation processes
• Malacca Straits hydrodynamic environment
• Biological , chemical and geological
• Sand shoals and wrecks uncanny relationship
• Human factor looting, sandmining, trawling,
pollution, shipping, U/W construction

Legal Instrument & U/W heritage issues
• The lure of treasure lead to various security and safety
issues encroachment, stealing & conflicts of resources
• Legal instrument important for protection and management
• Antiquities Act 1976, Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952,
UNCLOS 1982.
• Historical Shipwreck Act ????
• UN Convention on the Protection of the Underwater
Cultural Heritage 2001…….yes? no?

Conclusion
• Knowledge about the heritage need to be studied first hand
not only from foreign writings.
• Ethnological and archaeological approach are crucial in the
understanding of our maritime legacy.
• Quantity and more importantly quality resources are
desired
• Awareness in the community about the heritage and the
ever existing threat.

Thank You All