Archaeologists find 16,000-year-old skeletons in K'tan's Nenggiri Valley

Malaysian archaeologists have uncovered over a dozen prehistoric human skeletons, estimated to be as old as 16,000 years, in Kelantan’s Nenggiri Valley.

English daily The Star reported that the discovery was made in caves slated to be submerged for a hydroelectric reservoir project by mid-2027, according to a Live Science report on Tuesday (Sept 10).

The RM5 billion Nenggiri hydroelectric project, once completed, is expected to flood the caves, creating a 53.84 sq km main reservoir lake and a 0.97 sq km flow regulation pond.

The team, led by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia archaeologist Zuliskandar Ramli, identified the 16 skeletons as belonging to the pre-Neolithic community of the region.

Scholars also believe that the remains are connected to the Hoabinhian culture, a group of hunter-gatherers known for their distinctive stone tools found across Southeast Asia - from southwest China to Indonesia.

Zuliskandar’s team uncovered the 16 skeletons buried in 13 limestone caves spread across four sites.

“Fifteen of the skeletons were buried in a crouched or fully flexed position, characteristic of pre-Neolithic burials in the region,” he was quoted as saying.

However, one skeleton was buried in an extended position, suggesting it originated from the Neolithic period around 6,000 years ago.

“This is the most complete and oldest skeleton in a fully flexed position found in Malaysia,” Zuliskandar added.

Thousands of artefacts

In addition to the skeletons, the team discovered over 71,000 prehistoric artefacts, including stone tools, pottery and stone ornaments.

Pre-Neolithic graves primarily contained stone tools, red ochre, and crystals, while the Neolithic grave included items such as a stone bracelet, polished tools and pottery pieces.

The skeletal remains are being housed at the National Heritage Department for conservation and further research, while other artefacts are stored in a special facility managed by Tenaga Nasional Berhad.

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