MENJEJAKI ASAL USUL JUMPAAN SERAMIK DI TAPAK KAPAL KARAM PURBA DI PERAIRAN PULAU BIDONG

SEARCHING THE ORIGIN OF A CERAMIC FINDINGS AT AN ANCIENT SHIPWRECK SITE IN THE WATERS OF BIDONG ISLAND

Abstract

Artikel ini membicarakan tentang asal usul penemuan seramik yang ditemui di tapak kapal karam di Pulau Bidong, Terengganu. Kajian survei arkeologi bawah air berupa survei yang menggunakan kaedah saintifik seperti Side Scan Sonar (SSS), Multi-Beam Sonar (MBS) dan Sub-Bottom Profiler (SBP) serta penyelaman skuba telah menemukan pelbagai jenis artifak yang terdapat di kawasan tapak kapal karam itu. Kajian ini diketuai oleh pengkaji dan dibantu oleh pasukan penyelidik dari Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Jabatan Warisan Negara (JWN) dan UZMA Sdn. Bhd. Hasil kajian survei dan salvaj arkeologi bawah air pada tahun 2017 telah berjaya manaikkan lebih daripada 500 artifak yang 95 peratus daripadanya merupakan seramik. Antara artifak berupa seramik yang berjaya disalvaj itu adalah terdiri daripada tempayan, pasu, botol, bikar, arca haiwan dan patung manusia. Setelah dianalisis seramik tersebut secara relatif dan melalui kajian saintifik (Karbon C-14), seramik tersebut dikenal pasti terdiri daripada jenis tembikar batu berglais (warna coklat kehitaman, hijau kekuningan dan kelabu). Artifak-artifak ini dipercayai berasal dari Thailand sekitar abad ke 15-18 Masihi yang dikenali sebagai tembikar Sawankhalok dan Sukhothai. Justeru, bagi memastikan asal usul penemuan seramik itu benar, satu kajian perbandingan telah dilakukan di tapak asal usul artifak itu dihasilkan iaitu di tiga daerah di Thailand. Beberapa daerah yang telah dilawati dan dilakukan analisis perbandingan itu ialah di Sukhothai, Sawankhalok/Si-Satchanalai dan Menam Noi di Singburi. Hasil analisis secara relatif, saintifik dan kajian perbandingan di kesemua tapak tersebut mendapati kesemua seramik yang ditemui di tapak kapal karam Bidong itu berasal dari Thailand.

This article discuss on the origins of ceramic finds at the site of a shipwreck on Bidong Island, Terengganu. Underwater archaeological surveys using scientific methods such as Side Scan Sonar (SSS), Multi-Beam Sonar (MBS) and Sub-Bottom Profiler (SBP) as well as scuba diving have found various types of artifacts found in the area of ​​the shipwreck site. This study was led by the researcher and assisted by a team of researchers from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), National Heritage Department (JWN) and UZMA Sdn. Bhd. The results of underwater archaeological surveys and salvage, have successfully uncovered more than 500 artifacts, 95 per cent of which are ceramics. Among the ceramic artifacts that were successfully salvaged were jars, vases, bottles, beakers, animal sculptures and human statues. After analyzing the ceramic relatively and scientific study (Carbon C-14), it has been identified that the ceramic consists of a type of glazed stone pottery (dark brown, yellowish green and gray). It is believed to have originated in Thailand around the 15th-18th centuries AD known as Sawankhalok and Sukhothai pottery. Thus, to ensure that the origin of the ceramic discovery is true, a comparative study was conducted at the site of origin of the artifact was produced in three districts in Thailand. The districts that have been visited and done in the comparative analysis are in Sukhothai, Sawankhalok/Si-Satchanalai and Menam Noi in Singburi. The results of relative, scientific analysis and comparative studies at all the sites found that all the ceramics found at the site of the Bidong shipwreck were from Thailand.