Niah cave reopens after five months closed for repaires

RESTORATION: Plank walk leading to it, which was damaged in a flood last year, repaired

MIRI: AFTER being closed for five months,  the painted cave and  "death ships" in Niah National Park have been reopened to visitors.

The cave houses wall paintings, depicting boat journeys of the dead into the afterlife.

Boat-shaped coffins containing the remains of the dead, known as "death ships" are believed to have originated between 1AD and 789AD.

Penan folklore mentions the use of "death ships" burials in the 19th century.

The managing director of Sarawak Forestry, Datuk Ali Yusop, said: "The plank walk leading to the cave was destroyed in a flood last year and the cave had to be closed.

"It was closed for months. Now, visitors can visit the "death ships" and cave paintings again."

Niah's importance to early human civilisation was discovered 56 years ago when then Sarawak Museum curator Tom Harrison led an archaeological dig at the west mouth of the great cave.

The excavations had revealed evidence of early human settlements with the discovery of tools, cooking utensils and other ornaments made from bones, stones and clay.

These items proved that the Niah cave settlement dated back to the Palaeolithic era.

The following year, a 40,000- year-old human skull was discovered. It confirmed that Niah was a significant site.

"The discovery was initially ridiculed by the scientific community, as it was the skull of a modern human.

"It was widely believed that Borneo was formed later and not during the Paleolithic era."

However, as dating techniques improved and more evidence of how the settlements in Southeast Asia and Australasia came to light, Harrison's theory was proven correct.

A large burial site at the mouth of the cave had been used from the Palaeolithic era until 1400AD.

The earliest graves were shallow graves. Coffins and urns were also found along with potteries, textiles, ornaments and items made from glass and metal.

Read more: Niah cave reopens after five months - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/niah-cave-reopens-after-five-months-1.331311?cache=03%2F7.198169%3Fpage%3D0%3Fpage%3D0%3Fpage%3D0%2F7.204352%2F7.204352%3Fkey%3DMalaysia%2F7.321287%2F7.325431%2F7.325431%2Fhe%3D03%2F7.202804%3Fpage%3D0%2F7.199420%3Fpage%3D0%3Fkey%3DKuala+Lumpur%3Fpage%3D0%3Fpage%3D0%2F7.225078#ixzz2arLfMCoV