KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian archeologists have discovered more than a dozen prehistoric skeletons that are believed to be up to 16,000 years old in the Nenggiri Valley.
According to a report by Live Science, the discovery was made ahead of a plan to submerge the area for a hydroelectric reservoir by mid-2027. This will create a lake for a 300-megawatt power station.
The team, led by Zuliskandar Ramli from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, uncovered 16 skeletons in 13 limestone caves across four sites.
Zuliskandar said 15 skeletons were buried in a crouched or fully flexed position.
He linked them to the pre-Neolithic Hoabinhian culture, a hunter-gatherer society known for their distinctive stone tools found throughout Southeast Asia.
One skeleton was buried in an extended position and was dated to the Neolithic period about 6,000 years ago.
"This is the most complete and oldest skeleton in a fully flexed position found in the country," Ramli told Live Science, adding that many artifacts were grave goods deliberately buried with the dead.
In August, it was reported that 71,289 heritage and prehistoric artifacts, including 16 skeletons, stone tools and pottery fragments, were discovered and removed from the Nenggiri Valley to make way for the hydroelectric dam.
The skeletons are housed at the National Heritage Department for conservation and further research, while other items are stored at Tenaga Nasional Bhd.
The RM5 billion Nenggiri Hydroelectric Project is scheduled for completion by mid-2027. It involves creating a 53.84sq km reservoir lake and a 0.97sq km flow regulation pond.