BASTION HENDRICA LOUISA
The Bastion Hendrica Louisa discovery in 2025 is a landmark archaeological event in Melaka, Malaysia. It offers tangible proof of the pre-colonial "Kota Melaka" (Melaka Fort), bridging the gap between historical Malay chronicles and physical evidence.
In June 2025, archaeologists from the Department of National Heritage (JWN) unearthed the original alignment of the bastion’s walls at the base of the Taman Larangan (Forbidden Garden) stairs, located near the Melaka Sultanate Palace in Banda Hilir.
Key Highlights of the Discovery
- The Structure: The excavation revealed a wall and an oval-shaped bastion. While the name "Hendrica Louisa" is associated with the Dutch administration (which renamed and reinforced the site), researchers believe this discovery exposes the original Malay fortress foundations that were later built over by the Portuguese (A Famosa), Dutch, and British.
- The Moat: Evidence of a surrounding defensive moat was found, estimated to be approximately 5 meters wide and 5 meters deep.
- Timeline: The specific excavation that led to the 2025 announcement took place between May 22 and May 30, 2025.
- Significance: For decades, there was scholarly debate about whether the legendary "Kota Melaka" described in the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) was a grand stone structure or a simple wooden palisade. This discovery confirms the existence of a sophisticated stone defense system prior to and during the early colonial transitions.
Historical Context
The bastion was a critical southern defense point, strategically positioned to guard against both land-based incursions and maritime threats. Its design aligns with 18th-century Dutch maps, but the lower strata of the excavation point to the earlier footprint of the Melaka Sultanate's glory.
Comparison of Fortress Phases
Note: The Chief Minister of Melaka has indicated plans to preserve the site and potentially reconstruct a section of the wall (similar to the Middlesbrough Bastion nearby) to serve as an educational and tourism landmark.
SPECIFIC ARTIFACTS FOUND
The 2025 excavation of the Bastion Hendrica Louisa and the surrounding Taman Larangan site yielded a significant collection of artifacts that bridge the gap between the Melaka Sultanate and its subsequent colonial eras.
While the primary "find" was the massive laterite stone structure of the fort itself, archaeologists uncovered smaller objects within the 5-meter-deep moat and the surrounding soil layers that provide a glimpse into daily life and military history.
Primary Artifacts Discovered (2025)
- Laterite Stone Blocks: The most prominent "artifacts" are the large, reddish laterite stones used for the original foundations. These are characteristic of the Melaka Sultanate’s construction style, proving the fort was a grand stone structure rather than just wood.
- Ceramic and Porcelain Shards: Numerous shards of blue-and-white porcelain were found, primarily from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644–1912). These indicate active trade and habitation at the site across several centuries.
- Historical Coins: Excavations revealed a mix of currency, including:
- Melaka Sultanate Coins: Small tin coins (often called "pitis") from the reign of Sultan Mahmud Shah (1488–1511).
- VOC (Dutch East India Company) Coins: Copper coins used during the Dutch administration in the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Earthenware: Locally produced pottery shards (cooking pots and storage jars) were found, which are often used to identify the presence of the local Malay population living within or near the fort's perimeter.
- Organic Remains: Timber fragments and traces of original wooden pilings used to stabilize the wall foundations in the muddy soil of the coastal area.
Why these artifacts matter
The discovery of Melaka Sultanate coins alongside laterite foundations is the "smoking gun" for historians. It confirms that the Bastion Hendrica Louisa was not built from scratch by the Dutch, but was a Dutch reinforcement of an existing Portuguese structure, which itself was built upon the ruins of the original Malay Sultanate Fort.
Site Preservation
As of early 2026, the Melaka Museum Corporation (PERZIM) is cataloging these items for future display at the Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum and the Maritime Museum. There are also plans to incorporate the excavation site into an "Archaeo-Tourism" trail, where visitors can view the laterite walls in situ.
PULAU MELAKA ROYAL VESSEL
The Pulau Melaka Shipwreck, often referred to as a "Royal Vessel" or "Aristocratic Ship," is one of the most significant maritime discoveries in Southeast Asian history. Unearthed on reclaimed land between 2020 and 2025, it has fundamentally challenged existing timelines of Melaka’s history.
Discovery Timeline
- 2020: Independent researchers (led by Dr. Dionysius Sharma) discovered wooden planks protruding from the mud during land reclamation works on Pulau Melaka.
- 2021 (Phases 1 & 2): Initial excavations by the National Heritage Department (JWN) and the Melaka Museum Corporation (PERZIM) confirmed the presence of a massive hull.
- 2025 (Phases 3 & 4): Deep excavation (reaching 3–5 meters into mangrove mud) revealed the full scale of the vessel, leading to its official gazettement as a Restricted Heritage Zone in November 2025.
Technical & Historical Significance
The vessel is not just a merchant ship; its construction and contents suggest it belonged to the Malay nobility or the Sultanate's elite.
- Ancient Origins: Radiocarbon dating (conducted in the U.S.) estimates the ship dates back to the 13th century (1200–1300 AD). This suggests a sophisticated maritime civilization existed in the "Melaka Valley" before or during the very early arrival of Parameswara (traditionally dated to 1262 AD or later).
- Massive Dimensions: The ship is estimated to be 50 to 70 meters long, making it significantly larger than most previously discovered regional vessels and comparable in scale to the legendary Mendam Berahi (the royal galley of the Melaka Sultanate).
- Indigenous Engineering: The hull was constructed using local Saga and Merbau hardwoods. Most notably, it used wooden pegs (dowels) rather than metal nails—a hallmark of advanced Malay shipbuilding technology.
Key Artifacts Found On-Site
Current Status (2026)
The site is currently under strictly controlled excavation. As of February 2026, conservation teams are performing desalination (removing salt from the wood to prevent it from crumbling upon exposure to air). The Melaka government plans to house the reconstructed vessel in a dedicated museum to showcase ancient Malay maritime prowess.
RUINS BENEATH A FAMOSA
When people speak of the "ruins beneath A Famosa," they are usually referring to a historical irony: the famous Portuguese gate (Porta de Santiago) actually sits on top of the spiritual and political heart of the Melaka Sultanate.
In 2024 and 2025, fresh research and subterranean excavations around the base of St. Paul's Hill (Bukit Melaka) confirmed exactly what lies beneath the colonial stone.
1. The Great Mosque of Melaka
Historical records and recent structural analysis confirm that the Portuguese built the primary keep of A Famosa (the Fortaleza) directly over the ruins of the Great Mosque of Melaka.
- The Foundation: Archaeologists found that the rectangular footprint of the original Portuguese fortress matched the typical layout of 15th-century Malay mosques.
- The Materials: Stones from the mosque and the royal tombs of the Sultans were forcibly repurposed by Alfonso de Albuquerque’s men to build the fortress walls in 1511.
2. The Sultan’s Palace Foundations
While the replica "Melaka Sultanate Palace" stands nearby today, the original 15th-century palace site is buried beneath the layers of Dutch and Portuguese earthworks on the hill.
- The 2025 Discovery: Excavations near the Taman Larangan (the Forbidden Garden of the Sultans) have unearthed older laterite footings that predate European masonry. These are believed to be part of the royal administrative complex that served the Sultanate before the Portuguese conquest.
3. The "Hidden" Drainage and Tunnels
Beneath the surface level of the current ruins, researchers have identified:
- Portuguese Sewerage Systems: A sophisticated network of stone-lined drains and small subterranean chambers used for waste and water management, some of which were accidentally exposed during the construction of the Taming Sari Tower nearby.
- The Secret Passageways: While many "secret tunnels" in Melaka are urban legends, excavations have revealed narrow vaulted stone passages used by the Dutch and Portuguese to move ammunition between the bastions (like the Middelburg and Santiago bastions) without being exposed to enemy fire.
Layered History of the Site
Archaeological Insight: The "Porta de Santiago" we see today is actually a Dutch "renovation" of the Portuguese gate. Beneath its floor lies the transition point where European stone meets the original Malay soil.
Google Gemini AI
12/2/2026: 11.22 p.m
