Agop Batu Tulug
| Agop Batu Tulug
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|---|---|
 The Batu Tulug with its grave caves |
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| Location: | Sabah , Malaysia , Borneo Island |
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Geographic location: |
5 ° 24 '58.2 " N , 117 ° 56' 31.8" E |
| Geology: | limestone |
| Particularities: | Burial cave |
Agop Batu Tulug ( English Batu Tulug Caves ) is an archaeological site in the Malaysian state of Sabah and refers to a group of several caves in a steep limestone cliff in the Kinabatangan district . The caves served as burial grounds 500 to 900 years ago and contain around 125 carved wooden coffins. Agop means "cave" in the Orang Sungai language and Batu is the Malay word for "rock". Tulug comes from the Visayan language and means "to sleep".
description
The caves are located in an isolated limestone rock near the village of Kg. Batu Puteh in a prominent loop of the Sungai Kinabatangan about 80 kilometers south of Sandakan and 41 kilometers by road from Kota Kinabatangan . The wooded rock is 39 meters high and belongs to the Labang limestone formation, which was formed about 20-25 million years ago. The rock is called Batu Tulug , from which the name of the caves is derived.
Agop Batu Tulug is divided into main caves, namely Agop Sawat (upper cave), Agop Lintanga (middle cave) and Agop Suriba (lower cave), as well as the Agop Dimunduk cave . Agop Sawat and Agop Lintanga were once used as burial sites and, with their 125 historical wooden coffins, are part of Sabah's unique cultural heritage.
The coffins were made of "Belian" (Eusideroxylon zwageri) , a tropical wood known as "ironwood", and decorated with carvings depicting buffalo heads, crocodiles, house geckos and snakes. These carvings reflect the myths and legends that shaped the life of the early residents of Kinabatangan. So z. B. the crocodile is associated with death and the forces of darkness, while the gangbird, dog, rooster and deer appear as friends of their heroic figures. The coffins themselves also resemble various animals associated with the religious beliefs of the Orang Sungai.
It is believed that this type of burial culture was brought to North Borneo by traders from China or Vietnam, as similar wooden coffins were discovered in these countries.
Research estimates that around 2,000 such wooden coffins are distributed in the Kinabatangan Valley. Other sites are in Ulu Segama, Lahad Datu and Tawau.
history
The area and the caves have been a branch of the Sabah Museum since July 6, 1996 , which, in addition to the scientific supervision of the caves, is also responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of ancillary facilities such as toilets, staircases, administration buildings and overnight huts.
Web links
- Batu Tulug Museum ( Memento of 27 January 2013, Internet Archive ) on etawau.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Museum Agop Batu Tulug, Kinabatangan ( Memento of the original from October 22, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Accessed October 16, 2012
- ^ Agop Batu Tulug (ancient burial cave) ; Accessed October 16, 2012
- ↑ a b The Star: Coffins dating back 1,000 years are found in the Kinabatangan Valley ( Memento of October 10, 2012 in the Internet Archive ), April 10, 2007; Accessed October 16, 2012
