SUNGAI MAS SEBAGAI PUSAT PEMERINTAHAN DAN PELABUHAN UTAMA DI LEMBAH BUJANG BERDASARKAN DATA ARKEOLOGI (SUNGAI MAS AS CENTRE OF GOVERNANCE AND ENTREPOT PORT IN BUJANG VALLEY BASED ON ARCHEOLOGICAL DATA)

Abstract

Abstrak

Sungai Mas di Kota Kuala Muda merupakan tapak protosejarah penting yang membawa kepada pertikaian yang hangat diperkatakan oleh ahli arkeologi dan sarjana di Malaysia. Kebanyakan sarjana menganggap bahawa lokasi bermulanya tamadun Lembah Bujang terletak sekitar Pengkalan Bujang dan Merbok. Namun begitu, pembongkaran beribu-ribu artifak di Kampung Sungai Mas telah membawa dimensi baru kepada ketamadunan Lembah Bujang di mana hasil jumpaan artifak arkeologi telah menunjukkan bahawa Sungai Mas merupakan lokasi penempatan terawal, pusat pemerintahan dan pelabuhan utama bagi tamadun Lembah Bujang. Kegemilangan Sungai Mas sebagai pusat pemerintahan dan pelabuhan entrepot berkembang bermula dari abad ke-5 Masihi selepas berlakunya penemuan inskripsi, seramik dan artifak penting. Masyarakat Sungai Mas juga mempunyai susur-galur daripada masyarakat Guar Kepah yang telah melalui dua zaman prasejarah iaitu dari zaman Hoabinhian hingga ke zaman Neolitik dan kemudian berevolusi ke zaman protosejarah yang memperlihatkan ketamadunan wujud di Sungai Mas. Pembuktian terhadap Sungai Mas akan diteliti bermula daripada susur-galur perdagangan yang berlaku di Guar Kepah yang berevolusi kepada kemunculan pelabuhan di Sungai Mas melalui jumpaan artifak seramik asing, tembikar tanah, manik, bata dan makara. Hal ini seterusnya akan dapat membuktikan bahawa Sungai Mas merupakan pusat pemerintahan dan pelabuhan entrepot terawal dan utama bagi tamadun Lembah Bujang.

Kata Kunci: Sungai Mas, Protosejarah, Entrepot, Lembah Bujang, Seramik

 

Abstract

Sungai Mas in Kuala Muda Kota is an important protohistoric site which led to the argued dispute between archaeologist and scholar in Malaysia. Most scholars consider that the location of the Bujang Valley civilization is located around Pengkalan Bujang and Merbok. However, disclosure of thousands artefacts in Sungai Mas brought new dimension to the Bujang Valley civilization where the discovery of archaeological artifacts had shown that Sungai Mas is the earliest settlement location, the central government and the main port for Bujang Valley civilization. Sungai Mas glory as the center of government and entrepot ports began from the 5th century AD after the discovery of inscriptions, ceramics and important artefact. The Sungai Mas community also has a trench from the Guar Kepah community which has been through two prehistoric age from Hoabinhian age until Neolithic age and then evolve to protohistoric period which show civilization exist in Sungai Mas. Authentication towards Sungai Mas will be scrutinised start from trade pedigree which occurred in Kepah Guar that evolve to port emergence in Sungai Mas through the findings of foreign ceramic artefact, earthenware, bead, brick and makara. This will further prove that Sungai Mas is the earliest government center and entrepot port for Lembah Valley civilization.

Keywords: Sungai Mas, Proto-historic, Entrepot, Bujang Valley, Ceramic