SOURCE: SUNGAI BATU 788 BC: THE GREAT KINGDOM OF KEDAH TUA\
by Mohd Hasfarisham Abd Halim and Mokhtar Saidin.
For the purpose of easy reading, I removed the text citation as to enable the reader read smoothly.
Studies conducted in the context of the ancient Kedah Kingdom from the 1840s to the present have found many important data points, including evidence of industry trade, religion , and the sculpture. These findings suggest that the development of these kingdoms was a consequence of the social interactions that resulted from the trading activities that took place between the early kingdoms of the early civilizations of the world.
So the result of the combination of various disciplines has enabled important data on :
1) geological and biological specialities,
2) raw material resources ,
3) urbanization or land use processes ,
4) industrial development,
5) trade processes, and
6) development of beliefs and religious systems to be recorded in a complete and accurate manner.
Archaeological studies conducted from the 1840s by Hugh Low to the present day suggest that the ancient Kedah Kingdom existed from the 6th century BC until 17th century AD and played a significant role in trading activities, as evidenced by the discovery of iron smelting, bead and pottery workshops, ports, and port management.
Therefore, the conducted research should bolster the existing data. Although scholars may have different perspectives on the definition of civilization, according to Sulaiman (2016), civilization can be defined as a complex society that include: 1) settlements,
2) urban development and planning,
3) an organized agricultural system,
4) a clear writing system, and
5) the existence of a political order system capable of regulating society.
6) Specific activities, such as the division of labor,
7) a culture,
8) advanced or better technology, and
9) the presence of complex institutions, constitute civilization.
However, early civilizations did not necessarily have to develop all the features at the same time. Studies carried out by the Inca civilization, for example, found that it did not develop a writing system at an early stage, but it did carry out intensive cultivation activities.
Research on ancient Kedah's archaeology has so far demonstrated that this kingdom has attained the status of a civilized kingdom. This is because special archaeological studies in SBAC since 2009 have found iron smelting workshops that marked the economic activities of ancient Kedah at that time. The findings generally corroborate various data from navigation and trade records, which indicate that the ancient Kedah Kingdom engaged in iron ingot trading activities with global civilization. Additionally, the discovery of the jetty structure, port management and Hindu-Buddha temples established a benchmark for the existence of various groups and systems of government in the port area of ancient Kedah. This is because the architectural evidence makes it possible to record as much information as possible about ancient Kedah construction, including details about its function, technology, and raw materials.
The SBAC community subsequently transformed this alluvium into a material that facilitated the trade process in this region . Analysis of iron ore and iron ingots in SBAC also showed that the raw material was obtained from a distance of between 1-11 km from this complex and has revealed evidence of smelting by the ancient Kedah community. Iron smelting sites around the world have also recorded similar evidence, in other words, the iron smelting workshop obtains the raw material in close proximity.
The study's results clearly demonstrate that the ancient Kedah Kingdom prioritized trade activities in developing its economic system, which aligns with its characteristics as a civilized kingdom. This kingdom underwent technological evolution and development, facilitated by the transfer of knowledge through social interactions during trade activities. Although studies at SBAC revealed that its economy was more focused on the iron industry, the kingdom also focused on bead and pottery making in the Sungai Mas and Pengkalan Bujang port areas. Therefore, the ancient Kedah Kingdom's concept of forming its kingdom based on trade has influenced every artifact and architectural discovery, ultimately allowing for the detailed recording of location and contact routes.
Based on archaeological research, ancient Kedah Kingdom civilization, as a whole, started as early as the 6th century BC and focused on the iron-smelting industry. To date, the results of archaeological studies at SBAC, which document iron smelting workshops, jetties, port management, rituals, and Buddhist monuments (Figure 5), are the only ones globally to reveal such evidence. This is because archaeological studies at the international level until now have not revealed areas that have evidence of the iron smelting industry and also have a jetty, port management, rituals, and Buddhist monuments in the same area.
This trade interaction facilitated the acquisition and mastery of iron smelting technology and architecture, which in turn enabled ancient Kedah to construct port management jetty structures and temples. The Archaeological Survey's data formulation has made ancient Kedah the only place in the world to reveal evidence of an iron smelting industry and trade area spanning 1,000 km².
COMMENTARY by Admin.
From the above, obviously the society of Kedah Tua distinguished from other regional society by their industrial driven economy as well as maritime and trade centre.
Therefore, it answered a popular question by enthusiast who ask why the absence of great and huge monument in Bujang Valley. The answer is that the Kedah Tua society were fully occupied through out the years by industrial, port and trade activities. Unlike the agrarian society where they undergone a lay off period that enable them to involved in mega construction that ordered by the Rulers.
We also suggest that, the society itself have developed its own traits of value system accordingly to the sector they involved. As mentioned above, it has implies several sectors such iron mining, smelting, port activity, beads manufacturing, trades, commerce, warehousing, logistic etc.
I would like to highlight in the final paragraph where the author mention that "ancient Kedah the only place in the world to reveal evidence of an iron smelting industry and trade area spanning 1,000 km² ".
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5/2/2025: 10.57 a.m
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