Bujang Valley, one of several Indianised kingdoms in Southeast Asia, existed long before neighbouring empires such as Majapahit (1200 AD) and Sri Vijaya (700 AD).
The early Bujang Valley civilisation between the first and the fifth century (earlier than previously thought) was probably based on animism before coming under Hindu and Buddhist influence from the fifth to the fourteenth century.
Now, here’s the strange thing: most Malaysians and visitors know about Malacca and Penang as historical sites, but few have even heard of the Bujang Valley. (Today is actually George Town World Heritage City Day, a holiday in Penang from this year.) In fact, very few residents of Penang and Kedah know about the fascinating archaeological museum amidst reconstructed Hindu and Buddhist temple foundations, discovered in the valley and relocated to the museum grounds, near a gurgling stream on a lush hill-slope in Merbok in Kedah. The museum is worth visiting if you are interested in the Hindu and Buddhist figurines and other artefacts discovered during excavation.
Archaeological interest covers sites spanning a thousand square kilometre region from Merbok in the north to Bukit Mertajam on mainland Penang in the south. Gunung Jerai, at 1,200 metres the highest peak in Kedah, was the most visible landmark for sea farers heading to the region.
Time to re-write our school history text books, don’t you think?
More information on Bujang Valley in Wikipedia.
Article from http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=49019
Bujang valley continues to amaze historians
By: by Himanshu Bhatt (Mon, 05 Jul 2010)International historians observe archaeological excavations at the site of the 2,000 year old Bujang Valley civilisation in Sungai Batu, Kedah. They have described the man-made structures – the oldest thus far recorded in South-east Asia – as the most pivotal find in the region in the last few decades.
KUALA LUMPUR (July 5, 2010): The Bujang Valley in Kedah, where the oldest recorded man-made buildings in South-East Asia have been discovered, continues to be a source of amazement to historians and achaelogists.
Some of the world’s top historians converged at the archaeological site over the weekend to survey excavation works for the 2,000-year old civilisation which has been hailed in the last few decades as “the most important civilisational find in the region.”
The civilisation there is now known to have existed long before neighbouring empires like Sri Vijaya (700AD) and Majapahit (1200AD).
theSun had reported on March 28 that Malaysian archaeologists had unearthed a 1,900-year-old monument, scientifically dated to 110 AD, built with detailed geometrical precision in Sungai Batu, Kedah.
The monument, which faces the Gunung Jerai mountain, the highest peak in northern Malaysia, is believed to be have been used for ritualistic purposes.
The monument was found surrounded by remnants of advanced iron smelting facilities equipped with furnaces as well as brick jetties built along a river bank.
Dr Stephen Oppenheimer of Oxford University’s school of anthropology described it as “the earliest monumental site” that showed an important role as an industrial and trading centre.
“This is one of the most important finds in South-east Asia for the last couple of decades,” he said.
India’s Gujarat State Archaeology Department director Yadubirsingh Rawat said there was now indisputable evidence that international trading activities had taken place here in that period.
“The settlers here had full knowledge of iron smelting and jetty construction. This means they must have been connected to other places in the world,” he said.
“The discovery shows that the Bujang valley contributed significantly to maritime trade in the region,” he added.
Also found with the monument were various pottery and a Buddhist tablet with Pallava-Sanskrit inscriptions likely to have been made in the 5th century AD.
The discovery, by the Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), was made within a three sq km area where a total of 97 mounds have been found. Thus far only 10 have been excavated.
Dr R. Nagaswamy, former director of the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department said the western coast of peninsular Malaysia was likely a central point in the sea route of international trade in that period.
“From this we not only gain a deeper understanding of the country, but also of world history,” he said.
He also noted that Kedah had attracted rulers from South India, such as the Chola kings, to send their armies there in the 11th century.
The experts are in Malaysia for a conference on the Bujang Valley.
CGAR had announced last week that it had recently uncovered a new site in Jeriang, Kedah, comprising seven ancient furnaces once used for smelting of iron.
New estimates now show that the Bujang Valley settlement covered an area of about 1,000 sq km, mostly around Gunung Jerai, and not just 400 sqkm as previously believed.
Dated 110 AD, the newly discovered Sungai Batu monument in the Bujang Valley is the oldest recorded man-made building in South-east Asia.
Related posts:
to add sumting up :
It is quite ironic why indian want to claim this civilization as theirs when they themselves destroy them. Yes, the Chola destroy most of the city during their Srivijaya conquest. And they proudly tell this in their temple in tamil nadu on how they capture the king of Kadaram (kedah) and stole the city’s wealth.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“It is quite ironic why indian want to claim this civilization as theirs when they themselves destroy them. Yes, the Chola destroy most of the city during their Srivijaya conquest. And they proudly tell this in their temple in tamil nadu on how they capture the king of Kadaram (kedah) and stole the city’s wealth.” Hoh.
We are talking about 2 different time lines.
Bujang Valley goes back to 100 AD or thereabouts.
The Chola invasion of Kedah and possibly Perak and Johor led by Rajaraja Chola (Raja Chulan) took place circa 1000 AD as recorded in the temple inscriptions at Tanjavur (Tanjore) in S.India.
dpp
we are all of 1 race, the Human Race
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
ok, then why must the india (chola) destroys sumting that thair ‘ancestor’ built? Weird huh? So obviously the population at that time was predominantly malayan not indian. Indianized but not indian.. same thing goes to the khmer empire.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Bujang Valley is not the site of some great Chola or any other invasion; there’s no evidence of that. Why these 1st century Indian settlers eventually left is not known; pehaps they found better fortunes in Cambodia and Indonesia where they built the Angkor Wat and Borobudur.
Some 900 years later, Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola began their forays into SEA around 1000 AD. by which time Hinduism and Buddhism was extant in Burma and Thailand. Northern parts of Malaya were under the control of Thai Rulers as evidenced by the 1st 9 kings of Kedah who all had Hindu/Thai names.
Evidence of pockets of large trading and religious families (as much as 500) in SEA are known to have existed.
Hinduized kingdoms did not spring out of native inspiration or 1 or 2 travelling monks. There had to have been a very strong presence of original Indians from India for such kindoms to have lasted until the 15th century, (including the founder of Melaka) to have influenced culture, religion and language.
dpp
we are all of 1 race, the Human Race
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
dear dpp.. from 900ad > kedah was part of Srivijaya not Thailand. Plus, thailand (Ayutthaya) only exist in 1350++. The reason why those kings of kedah got hindu name bcoz their religion was hindu/buddha. Since those religion originated in India, so by nature, it is ok to adopt Indian name.. the same thing oso happen when islam was introduced. they adopt arabic name as islam originated from arabia. But this thing only happen in malaysia not indonesia where some of the people still retain their hindu name.
I guess, the way those old ‘malay’ people perceived the indian is the same on how malay view the arabs today.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
So important is Sri Wijaya to the history of the Isthmus that there have been several attempts by scholars to place its capital there. Thai academia has a long tradition of adopting neighbouring dynasties as their own, viz – the identification of the original Thai nation with the Dali Empire of Yunnan. In similar fashion, Thais have claimed Chaiya or Cahaya (which in Malay means light), as the site where Si Wichai (Sri Wijaya) was.
On the other hand, J.L. Meons (1937) believed that early Sri Wijaya was located in Kelantan and K.A. Nilakanta Sastri (1949) supported the idea. The Kelantan theory may not be far-fetched, since Chinese Sui Dynasty annals of the 7th century describe an advanced kingdom called Chi Tu (“Red Earth”) as being in Kelantan.
The ancient name for Kelantan was “Raktamrittika”, meaning “Red Earth” — this was later changed to “Sri Wijaya Mala”. The capital of Sri Wijaya Mala was called “Valai”, and it was situated along the upper Kelantan river of Pergau, known for its rich gold mines.
The controversy over the true location of Sri Wijaya arises because of the fact that after the death of Maharaja Sri Jayanaga around 692, during the mission to capture Jawa Island, Sri Wijaya seems to have been divided into two states. The eldest son Maharaja Dipang ruled over Amdan Negara, that is, the Malay Isthmus, probably Kelantan/Kedah. The second son, Maharaja Dhiraja, ruled the islands (Sumatera and other islands of the Indonesian archipelago), based at Palembang.
After the division into east and west, the name of Sri Wijaya remained in Sumatera, but on the Malay peninsula, a poetic title emerged for the Kelantan/Kedah area, namely, Tanah Serendah Sekebun Bunga (Valley of Flower Garden Land). This title is still found in traditional performing arts such as Mak Yong dance, Wayang Kulit puppet theatre, etc. By 730 the capital of Sri Wijaya in Sumatera moved from Palembang, known as Langkapura, to Kota Mutajap near the river mouth of Jambi in Sumatera.
Yawakoti meaning Jawa Point, is situated at Bukit Panau hill along the upper Kelantan river near Pergau; some believe this place to be from which Jawanese politics and culture spread out. Jawa Duipa, an ancient name for Kelantan means Tanah Jawa (“land owned by the Jawanese”), or Kawasan Jawa (“Jawanese area”).
Al Tabari states that the word Jawa or Jva was used more widely in ancient times. Jawa in those days meant “Jawanese culture” (i.e. Malay culture), including its centres on the Isthmus, as compared to now when Jawa only refers to Jawa Island in Indonesia. According to one tradition, the Jawanese moved down from Kemboja and spread out to the archipelago.”
————–
How your opinion on that interesting theory ??
Plausebile isn’t it ?
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
How is that nasri?
Arabs were more terrible before Islam.
It’s interesting to note that the bleak parts of Asia sent the Mongols, the Turks and the Tartars down to better pasture. The bleak desert sent the Arabs out to greener pastures, too. The urban cowboys of Sarawak went for the thicker foliage in the Sarawak jungles, almost making the Penans extinct (remaining number dwindled down to some 20,000).
We might just have to settle for blunt economic reasons why old people did this or that. And we’re now getting better at cheating – with ponzi finance!
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Certain political ‘Historians’ like to hide their heads in the sand like Ostriches. They want our children to do the same too. They re write History books but have not been able to re write Geography books and the history books of other Nations. Our children these days are smart enough to read about the past through the IT
We do not need ‘trained’ teachers to bull… them about our historical background. It only make our children to call their teachers ‘dopes’ at their backs. The amount of comments you hear from children about the ignorance of their teachers on various factors is mind staggering. After all, a school is there only to teach you how to LEARN. After that the students are faster in learning all that they want to know….
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
RT @amirmu: Bujang Valley is the oldest historical site in S-E Asia! Time we stopped giving so much emphasis to Melaka: http://bit.ly/9YGblG
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Chi Tu
Chi Tu (Malay: Tanah Merah) is an ancient kingdom mentioned in the history of China. The Sui Dynasty (581-618) annals describe an advanced kingdom called Chi Tu. The location of Chi Tu was disputed to be around Kelantan or Pahang state in Malay Peninsula, or in Songkhla and Pattani Province of southern Thailand. The best evidence to support the Kelantan theory was when the envoys left Chi Tu, the sail took 10 days to reach Champa, this indicates the kingdom was located somewhere ‘red earth’ around the main river of Kelantan. The inscribed Buddhagupta Stone found in Kedah mentioned a Raktamrttika, the meaning is red earth land.
——————-
Chi Tu Kingdom
The royal family’s name is Chu-dan and the king is Li-fo-duo-se. According to Chinese records, Chi Tu was built by kit mow (Mon-Khmer) peoples who sailed from the coast of Funan (Cambodia). Centuries later, the local inhabitants, replaced Funan peoples. “…Chi Tu is a derivation nation of Funan, located in within the southern sea, sailing hundred days to reach, the majority terrain was red, thus named Red Earth Kingdom (Chi means red, Tu means earth). East bordering Po-Lo-La, West bordering Po-Lo-So, South bordering Ho Lo Tan, thousands of square miles in land area. The king has three wives and the kingdom embraced Buddhism….”.
Chi Tu kingdom along with Langkasuka, Kedah and others were early important trade centres (approximately 100 BC to 700 CE). During this period, ships coming from China and Funan (from Indian Ocean as well) stop at the coast of Malay Peninsula. They get the local porters to transport the goods, using rafts, elephants and manpower along the Early transpeninsular routeway and part of the ancient Spice Route (Sea Route).
—————————
Sources from Indian scholars
J.L. Meons (1937) believed that early Srivijaya was located in Kelantan and K.A. Nilakanta Sastri (1949) supported the idea. The Kelantan theory may not be far-fetched, since Chinese Sui Dynasty annals of the 7th century describe an advanced kingdom called Chi Tu as being in Kelantan, the name was later changed to “Sri Wijaya Mala”. The capital of Sri Wijaya Mala was called “Valai”, and it was situated along the upper Kelantan river of Pergau, known for its rich gold mines.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
In 5th century, China Shenyao historian (414-512) in Sung Shunya already recorded Ho-lo-tan name or Kuo-lo-tan as a capital in Peninsula of Malaya.
A century then, some historian believe that first Srivijaya government (Sri Vijaya Mala) has existed in Kelantan/Kedah and grow to Sumatra by end seven century.
Sri Maharaja Jayanagar had roused a capital in Palembang (Sri Vijaya – II). Kelantan commended to the prince, Sri Maharaja Diraja, then this two government held together by Sanjaya (Jaya Shinha) Jayanagar grandchild in an empire that cited by Chinese, San-Fo-Tse (Tanah Sri Indah Sekebun Bunga) – eight century.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Students repotered findings of artifact on Hinduism( religions) hidden or kept secret,Why….The Hindus ruled Kadaram(Kedah)long before so call ketuanan Melayu exist.The historians want to change history fooling only the Malays but not the Indians and Chinese because it is available in IT.Don`t make a fool of yourself,the truth is finally revealed
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
hoh, kids these days still learn about lembah bujang in their history book.
These civilization was populated by Indinized local population which was the Kedahan. You all know rite that b4 islam, malays were hindu or buddhist? Just becoz that civilization were hindu, that doesnt mean they were indians. China was and still buddhist but that doesnt mean they are indian since buddhism came from india.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
hahaha… there is even a more ancient civilisation site The Lost City of Kota Gelanggi at Johor….
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0