BUDAYA MATERIAL INDUSTRI BESI DI KOMPLEKS SUNGAI BATU, LEMBAH BUJANG, KEDAH (MATERIAL CULTURE OF IRON INDUSTRY IN SUNGAI BATU COMPLEX, BUJANG VALLEY, KEDAH)

Naizatul Akma Mohd Mokhtar, Mokhtar Saidin

Abstract


Abstrak

Kertas kerja ini membincangkan tentang budaya material yang terdapat di 17 tapak peleburan besi Sungai Batu, Lembah Bujang. Kajian budaya material terhadap tinggalan relau, kesan sisa pembakaran, sisa besi, bijih besi, pecahan tuyere, alat logam dan alat batu adalah penting untuk membuktikan kewujudan industri besi dalam skala yang besar telah berlangsung seawal tahun 535 Sebelum Masihi hingga kurun ke-15 Masihi di Kompleks Sungai Batu. Teknik peleburan besi yang dijalankan adalah secara langsung (bloomery) dengan suhu peleburan antara 1150°C - 1200°C bersama penggunaan bahan pemangkin ataupun fluks. Peleburan besi akan menghasilkan jongkong besi yang dikenali sebagai besi kembang (bloom) yang seterusnya akan didagangkan. Kekayaan sumber mentah bijih besi, tanah liat dan bahan bakar serta kedudukannya yang strategik merupakan faktor utama yang menyebabkan industri besi di Sungai Batu berterusan pada jangka masa yang lama.  Penemuan 17 tapak peleburan besi yang kaya dengan budaya material telah membuktikan bahawa industri ini merupakan salah satu ekonomi penting masyarakat awal Lembah Bujang ketika itu.

Kata Kunci: Industri Besi, tuyere, Sungai Batu, Lembah Bujang

 

Abstract

This paper will discuss about the material culture discovered from 17 iron smelting sites in Sungai Batu, Bujang Valley. Research on furnace, burned mark, iron slag, iron ore, tuyere fragments, iron tools and stone tools are important to prove the existence of large scale iron smelting industry dated from 535 BCE till 15th century CE. Bloomery technique was detected used in Sungai Batu iron industry which the smelting temperature are between 1150oC – 1200oC with catalyst added. Product from the iron smelting was in ingot form, known as bloom, which it will be traded. Abundance of iron ore, clay and wood charcoal along with the strategic location are the factors why the iron industry in Sungai Batu lasted for long span of time. Discovery of 17 iron smelting sites, which rich in cultural materials has proven iron smelting industry played an important role in the economy of early Bujang Valley community.

Keywords: Iron Industry, tuyere, Sungai Batu, Bujang Valley


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References


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