Better understanding old Malay manuscripts
Borneo Bulletin, 30 May 2010

A creremony was yesterday held at the History Centre to witness the presentation of certificates to 17 workshop participants who were taught how to transliterate, catalog and edit old Malay manuscripts.

History Centre Acting Deputy Head Othman bin Hj Mat Don handed out the certificates to the participants comprising personnel from three departments under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, namely the History Centre, Museums Department and the Language and Literature Bureau.

The May 18 to May 29 workshop was held at the Development and Learning Division, and its instructor was Prof Dr E Ulrich Kratz, Head of Indonesian and Malay Language Center, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London, United Kingdom.

The workshop provided participants the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills on methods of transliteracy, cataloging and editing of old Malay manuscript, allowing them to later apply their knowledge and new experience to their jobs.

Melaka Offers Aid In Listing Brunei Heritage Sites
04 May 2010

The Malaysian state of Melaka has offered to share its expertise with Brunei Darussalam in the Sultanate’s efforts to declare its tourist spots a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

Chief Minister of Melaka Datuk Seri Hj Mohd All Mohd Rustam said this during a press conference on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of a tourism promotion travel mart and seminar for the “Come to Melaka” travel roadshow.

The chief minister successfully made a bid to get Melaka, a historic city that is about 150 km from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, listed as a World Heritage Site in July 2008.

“We can offer our expertise because we have well-qualified people in the Museum Heritage Department. I can get them to come to Brunei and talk to the relevant ministries on how Melaka managed to get into the listings, and Brunei can take the same steps. We can act as the facilitator or advisor,” said the chief minister.

The golden history of Islam in Brunei
Brunei fm, 08 March 2010

It has been debated when Islam actually first arrived in Brunei. A number of relics showed that Islam could actually be practised in Brunei by the 12th century.

Amongst these were tombstones found in the various Islamic graveyards in Brunei particularly the one at Rangas which showed one with a Chinese Muslim by the name of Pu Kung Chih-mu. He was buried there in 1264. This is more than a hundred years earlier before the conversion of Awang Alak Betatas as the Islamic Sultan Muhammad Shah, the first Sultan of Brunei.

(All links open to a new window)

Brunei

• Brunei shipwreck unearths artefacts (28/12)

Cambodia

• Banteay Chhmar temple wins American preservation grant (30/12)
• Where Gods and Soldiers Tend the Border in Cambodia (27/12)
• Aussies help make Angkor greater (18/12)

Indonesia

• Ruins of Ancient Temple Found in Yogyakarta (23/12)

Philippines

• 307-year-old dictionary in Kapampangan found (18/12)

Thailand

• Thai court nullifies cabinet’s P Vihear joint communiqué (31/12)
• Preah Vihear resolution overturned (31/12)
• Two stolen amulets ‘sold’ (30/12)
• University student arrested for Khon Kaen artefact theft (27/12)
• Student, amulet expert arrested over theft of 91 artefacts (27/12)

Vietnam

• Early human remains found in northern province (03/01)
• 2,000-year-old artifacts unearthed in Khanh Hoa (02/01)
• Third excavation of Bai Coi archeological site launched (30/12)
• Bronze drums getting ready for Hanoi 1,000th birthday (29/12)
• Ancient skeletons reveal history’s secrets (27/12)
• Fossils discovered in Tuyen Quang province (25/12)
• 100 bronze drums being cast for millennial anniversary (23/12)
• UNESCO says Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks ‘documentary heritage’ (21/12)

1,000 Years Of Brunei-China Ties To Be Documented
BruDirect, 21 May 2009

RTB To Film Documentary 7 On Brunei-China History
BruDirect, 21 May 2009

The project to trace the history of Brunei-China relations will be implemented in June, jointly by Radio Television Brunei, Brunei History Centre and the Museums Department in collaboration with the Chinese community in Brunei.

This was highlighted in a working paper by Dr Muhammad Hadi bin Muhammad Melayong, Director of the Information Department, and Pg Dr Karim bin Pg Hj Osman from the Museums Department and presented to the media yesterday at the office of Ang Swee Chuan, Vice-President of Brunei-China Friendship Association. Also present was Dr Hj Kamaruddin bin Dato Seri Paduka Hj Talib, President of the association.

The project is also undertaken to mark the Silver Jubilee of the country’s National Day celebration and will comprise seven episodes. The first episode will showcase the start of trade and diplomatic relations between both countries. The filming in Brunei will focus on the Sg Limau Manis site, dating back to the Song Dynasty in China during the 10th-13th century.

The site was discovered in 2002 and was one of the important archaeological findings after Kota Batu. A number of artifacts believed to be from China were found including gold, bronze, beads and so on.

The sunken ship at the tip of Borneo, Tanjung Simpang Mengkayau in Kudat, Sabah was found in 2002 together with the same type of artefacts discovered in Sg Limau Manis. The ship was believed to be on its way to Brunei and sank in Sabah waters.

Getting the facts straight on Antiques, Treasures Trove Act
Borneo Bulletin, 4 July 2008

Under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act implemented in 1967, members of the public who discover archaeological remains and fail to surrender it to the Museums Department can face a fine of up to $3,000 or one year imprisonment or both.

All archaeological remains or antiques discovered on land or buried under the river, lake or sea are absolute property of Museums Department and a special unit has been formed by the department to enforce the act.

This was said by Senior Archaeology Research Assistant Awg Hanapi bin Haji Maidin, when delivering a briefing at a roadshow in OGDC by the Brunei Museums Department to raise awareness on the various acts under the department.

He said that the act is allocated to protect and preserve old and historical monuments, archaeological sites as well as antique remains to have legal control of the historic artefacts and other matters related to it.

Under the act, no one is also allowed to export the archaeological remains from the country as well as sell it without export permit and proper business licence or consent.

Individuals are also refrained from excavating archaeological sites without proper licence and His Majesty’s government has the right to proclaim which monuments, historical and archaeological sites are to be gazetted.

The monuments, historical and archaeological remains must also be over 50 years of age with historical values; unique structure, educational and economical values in order meet such requirements, Awg Hanapi added.

Among gazetted historical sites include the Kota Batu ancient capital of Brunei; Sungai Limau Manis Pre-Islamic site; Muara coal mine which was the first mining field in Brunei and the Labu Estate, which is the industrial archaeological site in the early 20th century.

This was followed by a briefing on the Wild Life Protection Act, 1978.

The roadshow, which comprises talks and an exhibition, will end this Sunday.

Borneo History Seminar opens at ICC
Borneo Bulletin, 04 December 2007

The three-day seminar, themed “Pemuliharaan Sejarah dan Tamadun Borneo: Ke Arah Pengukuhan Negara Bangsa”, has been organised in conjunction with the Silver Jubilee celebration of Brunei History Centre.

Read about the opening ceremony of the Borneo History Seminar here. It looks like the seminar is more Brunei-centric rather than Borneo-centric. Too bad I can’t seem to find any list of the papers presented online.

Related books:
- History of Brunei
- European Sources for the History of the Sultanate of Brunei in the 16th Century
Check out more books at the SEAArch Bookstore.

‘Bedil’ – the traditional Brunei cannons

… not everyone knows that cannons were already being manufactured in Brunei at least 500 or 600 years ago. Many cannon moulds have been found at archaeological sites throughout the country.

Historical records also indicate that cannons had been used in Brunei. The historical records of Antonio Pigafetta when he was in Brunei as Magellan’s chronicler in 1521 stated that “in front of the Sultan’s palace, there was a thick wall of bricks, with towers in the manner of a fortress on which mounted fifty-six brass and six iron cannons”.

!The Bruneian cannons, known in the Brunei vernacular as bedil, are used not just on land but also on board Brunei ships. A record of the Spanish attacks on Brunei stated that the Brunei ships used cannons.

!The origin of the cannons is unknown, they were most probably of Chinese and European origins. The first cannon in Europe probably appeared during the Islamic era in Spain. Brunei cannons probably are more influenced by our relationship with the Chinese Empire.

!In Brunei, the art of casting metals had been in existence for many centuries. As far back as 1225, a visiting Chinese official, Chau Ju Kua, found that the Bruneians had been carrying swords and metal armour made of bronze when attending funerals. It was said that during the era of Sultan Bolkiah, the fifth Sultan, 40 Javanese metal craft experts had been brought back to teach Bruneians their craft .

Cannons played important roles in Brunei’s history. They were used as Brunei’s main defences and a good number were positioned at the mouth of the Brunei River and were placed there until the British came to Brunei in 1846.

Some famous cannons bore names, such as Si Tunggal and Si Dewa. These two were taken by the Suluks during the Brunei civil wars and were later taken to Manila. Another well-known cannon during Sultan Bolkiah’s reign was Si Gantar Alam which was used during the attacks on Luzon and Manila.

The Brunei cannons had their own attributes. In the manufacture of the cannons, the local craftsmen would pay attention to eight main parts of the cannons known locally as the batang (barrel), muncung (mouth), kancing lumba-lumba (trigger), pistaran (sightscope), sumbu dan gargasa (ignition), gamban (barrel end), gaganok (holder) and sangka (holder).

Each part would be intricately designed with Bruneian motifs, thus distinguishing Bruneian cannons from other cannons in the world.

Cannons are not just used for defensive purposes but play important role in the royal courts.

Cannon shots are fired on many important royal events, with different numbers for each event. The highest are obviously events connected to His Majesty the Sultan and Her Majesty Raja Isteri, with 21 shots.

…

Read more about the cannons of Brunei.
(The articles in the Brunei Times are only up for 24 hours, so if it is no longer available, you can email me.)

Foundation-Laying Ceremony For Brunei’s First Martime Museum

Brunei Darussalam’s first Maritime Museum, which is under the country’s 8th National Development Plan, is expected to be completed by June next year.

…

The exhibition hall of the Maritime Archaeology Museum will display various artefacts depicting the link between mankind with the river and the sea since ancient times.

The project will also enable members of the public to understand the role of the country as a centre of maritime trade in ancient times and develop a sense of awareness and responsibility to appreciate the country’s cultural heritage while promoting it as a tourism destination, he said.

…

Read about the foundation-laying for Brunei’s Maritime Museum here and here.

Books about Underwater Archaeology:
- The Archaeology of Seafaring in Ancient South Asia by Himanshu Prabha Ray
- Shipwrecks and Sunken Treasure in Southeast Asia by T. Wells

Medical talk on Human Evolution at UBD

The Institute of Medicine of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) will be holding a medical lecture entitled “Human Evolution Origin of Anatomically Advanced Humans: Who Is Related To Whom” on June 6 at 7.30pm.

The talk, which will be held at the Senate Room, 1st floor of Chancellor Hall, will be facilitated by Prof Pathamanathan Ragavan, a visiting scientist from the School of Archaeology & Anthropology, Australian National University.

This topic surveys the opinions expressed in the recent literature on the origins of anatomically modern homo sapiens, and reviews the evidence from skeletal – biological or cranial – and dental morphology argued by proponents of the opposing views.

…

The lecture is CME and CNE accredited and registration is free.Members of the public and health professionals are welcome to attend the talk. For more information, contact Siti Rohaiza binti Ahmad at 2463001 (extension 1906/1960) or e-mail haiza@im.ubd.edu.bn.

Read the full notice about Dr Pathamanathan Ragavan’s talk on human evolution.

Related Books on the evolution of humankind:
- Bioarchaeology of Southeast Asia (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology) by M. Oxenham
- Human Origins : The Fossil Record by C. S. Larsen
- Guide to Fossil Man by M. H. Day