GUA MUSANG: Researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia have discovered a complete prehistoric human skeleton in Gua Keledung Kecil here.
The skeleton was found during an archaeology excavation for the Nenggiri Hydroelectric project in the Nenggiri Valley.
The skeleton, along with several other artefacts in November last year, was discovered by the team led by Associate Professor Dr Zuliskandar Ramli, the senior fellow of UKM's Nature and Malay Civilisation Institute.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in a statement today, said the discovery of prehistoric human skeletons in the cave was one of the most important findings in the country's archaeological heritage.
"It can indirectly contribute to the discovery of new facts related to burial practices and the socio-cultural evolution of prehistoric life, especially in the Nenggiri Valley," it stated.
The statement said the body of the human skeleton was folded and facing southwest.
"This fully-folded position is almost the same as the position of a foetus in the womb of a pregnant mother.
"What's also exciting are the artefacts found around the skeleton which function as burial equipment.
"The right palm of the deceased held the hematite mineral while the left palm held the knee of the right leg.
"Also found around the skeleton are stone tools which were buried together with the deceased, and this includes stepping stones with grind-pounding tools, hand-held axes and chipping tools made of slate and quartz crystals that are often used in burial rituals of prehistoric societies," said the statement.
The statement said that it bears similarities to the burial practices of the earliest prehistoric people who lived in the Nenggiri Valley 14,000 years ago.
"The teeth and snail shells samples will be sent to Beta Lab in the United States to obtain the chronometric date.
"The initial step will be to take this human skeleton out of Keledung Kecil cave and be placed in the National Heritage Department's conservation laboratory for comprehensive conservation work," it stated.
The statement read that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, through its agency, the National Heritage Department, in collaboration with the Kelantan government, would ensure that this discovery can be used as a reference to the history and heritage of the country and will also be shared with the public.
"A mini gallery will be developed by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) near Nenggiri dam to house all the archaeological findings in the Nenggiri Valley, including the skeletons.
"This gallery will help attract tourists to the Nenggiri Valley," it stated.