A piece of wood believed to be the remains of a ship belonging to a Malay chieftain before the Melaka Sultanate was found in Pulai Melaka on October 30. This extraordinary discovery was the result of excavations by the National Heritage Department (JWM) in collaboration with the Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim) and the National University of Malaysia (UKM).
Deputy Commissioner of JWM Ruzairy Arbi said that apart from the date, size and building materials used to build the ship, this discovery also proves that the expertise of the Melaka people in the maritime world has existed for a long time. It is believed that the ship was used between 1200 and 1300 with an estimated length of 50 to 70 meters, making it larger than the Mendam Berahi ship mentioned in the Hikayat Hang Tuah.
A sample of the ship's wood was sent to the Beta Analytic laboratory in the United States for radiocarbon dating tests and it was found that the ship used components of saga wood and merbau wood. In addition, the ship did not use any metal nails but relied entirely on the wooden peg technique to connect the components.
The process of dismantling and moving the ship's components is underway for further conservation. In addition to the wood, fragments of porcelain bowls and syling coins believed to be from the era of Sultan Mahmud were also found at the excavation site. The National Heritage Department plans to display these artifacts to the public after the excavation and documentation work is completed.
