via New Straits Times, 19 December 2023: The Balik Pulau area in Penang, Malaysia has revealed mysterious stone structures, speculated to be older than the Bujang Valley. Discovered in Kampung Sungai Rusa and featuring walls over 20 meters long, these structures, made of various-sized stones, suggest a prehistoric human settlement. Alongside the structures, porcelain fragments dating back to the Ming Dynasty were found. Experts, including Dr. Hisham Hashim and Dr. Nasha Rodziadi Khaw, call for further study to understand their historical significance and propose gazetting the area as a heritage site for preservation.
The presence of dozens of stacked stone structures of various sizes, forming walls over 20 metres long in Kampung Sungai Rusa here for quite some time, raises the question of whether the area may have been a site of prehistoric human settlement.
Pertubuhan Penggerak Seni Warisan (PPSW) Balik Pulau deputy chairman Mohd Firdaus Ahmad, said the appearance of these structures, especially on the hill slopes, had long been noticed by residents, but so far, no one has shown interest in conducting a study on the discovery.
“These structures, most of which are about a meter tall, are mostly built on the hill slopes, including around Bukit Laksamana, located near Teluk Bahang, adjacent to the road to Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, and some are also arranged in Sungai Batu Hampar Tengku Jalil here.
Source: The mystery of the Balik Pulau stone structures: Are they older than the Lembah Bujang temple?
