Research Institutes, Centres and Units - Universiti Sains Malaysia

This systematic research programme has extended the knowledge of prehistory in
Malaysia by more than 1.83 million years through the discovery of a handaxe in Bukit
Bunuh, Lenggong, Perak in 2009. Other important sites discovered include Bukit Jawa
(about 200,000 years ago), Kota Tampan (a 74,000-year-old lithic workshop), Gua
Gunung Runtuh (where a 10,000-year-old skeleton was excavated), Gua Harimau
(a burial ground yielding the earliest evidence of bronze age technology in Malaysia)
and Sungai Batu (where current research is being done on the discovery of a 300AD
structure. The Centre’s research programmes in Sarawak (Kakus, Bau, and Niah), and
Sabah (Bukit Tengkorak, Melanta Tutup, Bukit Kamiri, Balambangan, Tingkayu, Mansuli,
Samang Buat and Kinabatangan) have also yielded fruitful results which contribute the
data pertaining to both Malaysian and Southeast Asian prehistory.
The Centre currently generates more than 90% of new data and knowledge on the
prehistory of the country and contributes towards rewriting many sections of Malaysian
prehistory through revised interpretations of numerous earlier works done during
the colonial times.
Consultancy
The Centre has been involved in various EIA projects such as the Petronas Gas Pipeline
Project, the Bakun Hydroelectric Project and the latest in 2009 is the Cultural and
Archaeological Impact Assessment in Murum Dam Belaga Sarawak.
Besides that, the Centre is also actively involved in planning numerous exhibitions in
archaeology at local museums and some of our findings have found their way into
international exhibitions such as the exhibition on Early Man held at the National
Science Museum in Tokyo, Japan. Our research has also led to the establishment of
archaeological museums in the country such as the Lenggong Archaeological Museum
in Kota Tampan, Lenggong, Perak and the Megalith Park in Putrajaya.
Public Education
The Centre has been actively promoting and creating public awareness of archaeology
in Malaysia through newspapers, TV programmes and talk shows, both local and foreign
media (the London Times, Asia Week, Science, Discovery Channel), as well as public talks
in universities, schools, and interest groups. New knowledge on Malaysian archaeology
is also channeled to the public through school textbook and encyclopedia.
Courses in Archaeology
A minor package programme as well as elective/optional courses in archaeology is
offered to all undergraduates in USM. These include: Introduction to Archaeology,
Ascent of Man and Civilisations; Archaeological Excavations; Science in Archaeology;
and Southeast Asian Archaeology. Students are taken on site visits and excavations as
well as hands-on laboratory work for a more complete understanding of evidence
gathering, environment reconstruction, and archaeological interpretation.