Ancient Ships To Ancient Manik-manik Purba: Archaeological Treasure Appears In Bangka Belitung Cretaceous City

Head of BPK Region V Jambi Agus Widiatmoko when attending the Specific Kunker for Culture Commission X DPR in Pangkalpinang, Thursday. ANTARA/Aprionist

PANGKALPINANG - The Cultural Preservation Center (BPK) Region V Jambi found an ancient ship carcass in the Kapur City area, Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands.

This finding is considered important as part of efforts to preserve cultural heritage assets in the region.

"The carcass of this ancient ship in Kapur City is the same as the 3rd century Southeast Asian traditional ship," said Head of BPK Region V Jambi, Agus Widiatmoko, in Pangkalpinang, Antara, Friday, November 28.

Agus explained that the results of the latest research by BPK Region V not only found the shipwreck, but also a row of ancient piers, pottery, and beads from the time before Sriwijaya's glory.

"The discovery of ancient ship wrecks in Kapur City is the same shape as those found in Jepara, Palembang, and Jambi," he said.

According to Agus, the rest of the ancient pier was found in the mouth of the Air Pancur River which has now turned into a swamp on the north side of the Kapur City Site. The structure is in the form of a milestone and a wooden pole with a horizontal wooden arrangement that is stretched from northwest to southeast.

"The rest of this ancient dock is considered very important because it is the first finding of an ancient type of building or construction of an ancient dock in a simple form," said Agus.

He added that other ancient ship wrecks were also found in the canals of the Air Kupang (Pancur) and Air Rembia rivers. The discovery of the boat on the Kapur City website was made using a tieboard and binding ear technique, which is known in the tradition of making ancient Southeast Asian boats in the 3rd to 10th centuries.