Analisis Awalan Sisa-Sisa Cangkerang Moluska Prasejarah Akhir di Melanta Tutup dan Bukit Kamiri, Semporna, Sabah

Abstract

Tapak arkeologi Melanta Tutup dan Bukit Kamiri di Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia telah diekskavasi oleh Pusat Penyelidikan Arkeologi Global, Universiti Sains Malaysia dengan kerjasama Jabatan Muzium Sabah serta Jabatan Warisan Negara pada tahun 2003, 2004, 2006 dan 2007. Hasil ekskavasi telah mendedahkan penemuan seperti bukti pengebumian, alat batu, pecahan tembikar tanah liat, artifak logam dan tinggalan sisa-sisa fauna yang terdiri daripada spesies vertebrata dan invertebrata. Fokus perbincangan adalah sisa-sisa cangkerang moluska yang berasosiasi dengan lapisan kebudayaan prasejarah akhir (Zaman Logam) yang berusia sekitar 1,380 SM – 1,170 M di Melanta Tutup dan 1,380 – 760 SM di Bukit Kamiri. Berdasarkan analisis arkeozoologi, sisa-sisa cangkerang moluska yang dieksploitasi adalah daripada kelas Gastropoda (Neritidae, Potamididae, Pachychilidae, Thiaridae, Trochidae, Muricidae dan Strombidae) dan Bivalvia (Arcidae, Cyrenidae dan Veneridae). Hal ini menunjukkan bahawa subsisten masyarakat prasejarah akhir Melanta Tutup dan Bukit Kamiri merangkumi persekitaran daripada sumber marin, paya bakau dan air tawar. Sisa-sisa cangkerang moluska bukan sahaja sebagai bukti diet malahan berfungsi sebagai kiriman pengebumian berdasarkan asosiasinya dengan rangka manusia.

Kata kunci: Sisa-sisa cangkerang moluska, Melanta Tutup, Bukit Kamiri, prasejarah akhir, arkeozoologi.

The archaeological sites of Melanta Tutup and Bukit Kamiri in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia had been excavated by the Centre for Global Archaeological Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia in collaboration with the Sabah Museum Department and the National Heritage Department in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007. The excavation has uncovered evidences such as burial, stone tools, earthenware sherds, metal artefacts and faunal remains consisted of vertebrate and invertebrate species. The focus of discussion is on the shell mollusc remains associated with the late prehistoric (Metal Age) cultural layer that is dated around 1,380 BC – 1,170 AD in Melanta Tutup and 1,380 – 760 BC in Bukit Kamiri. Based on archaeozoological analysis, the exploited mollusc remains are from the class Gastropoda (Neritidae, Potamididae, Pachychilidae, Thiaridae, Trochidae, Muricidae and Strombidae) and Bivalvia (Arcidae, Cyrenidae and Veneridae). This shows that the subsistence of the Melanta Tutup and Bukit Kamiri late prehistoric societies are consisted of environments from marine, mangrove and freshwater resources. The shell mollusc remains are not only the evidence of the prehistoric diet, but also functioned as grave goods based on its association with the human skeletal remains.

Keywords: Mollusc shell remains, Melanta Tutup, Bukit Kamiri, late prehistoric, archaeozoology.