EVOLUSI PERKEMBANGAN TEMBIKAR TANAH DARI ZAMAN PRASEJARAH HINGGA PROTOSEJARAH DI KEDAH THE EVOLUTION OF EARTHENWARE FROM THE PREHISTORIC PERIOD TO THE PROTOHISTORIC PERIOD IN KEDAH

Abstract

Abstrak

Perolehan tembikar tanah yang banyak di setiap tapak ekskavasi prasejarah telah merancakkan kajian ke atas tembikar tanah sama ada bentuk lengkap atau separa lengkap. Kajian ini adalah bertujuan melihat evolusi perkembangan tembikar tanah dari zaman Prasejarah hingga Protosejarah di Kedah daripada sudut bentuk dan motif. Tembikar tanah adalah antara artifak utama yang dijumpai dalam ekskavasi arkeologi yang penggunaannya bermula sejak zaman Neolitik, zaman Logam dan perkembangannya sehingga zaman Protosejarah di mana mereka mampu menghasilkan tembikar dalam skala besar dan bersaiz besar. Tembikar tanah dianalisis secara morfologi dan tipologi setelah melihat perbandingan dan kronologi bentuk daripada dua fasa zaman ini yang mempunyai kronologi daripada segi bentuk, ragam hias dan juga bahan yang terdapat dalam kepingan tembikar tanah. Tembikar tanah dianalisis mengikut tipologi dan bentuk serpihan seperti bibir, karinasi, badan, dasar, penutup dan tangkai. Kaedah kajian yang digunakan adalah melalui kajian lapangan, ekskavasi dan kajian perpustakaan. Analisis digunakan dengan kaedah deskriptif daripada bentuk pendekatan kaedah kualitatif. Analisis dilakukan terhadap tembikar berbentuk lengkap dan tidak lengkap. Terdapat evolusi perubahan yang melibatkan bentuk karinasi berdasarkan keratan rentas. Bentuk yang dihasilkan semakin lurus dan berkarinasi yang sesuai dengan fungsi yang semakin berbeza mengikut konteks kebudayaan masyarakat peralihan (protosejarah). Hasil kajian yang dijalankan mendapati corak hiasan cap tali dan tanpa hias merupakan dominan pada awal zaman Neolitik. Ragam hias ini menunjukkan sifat universal iaitu terdapat pada kebudayaan luar seperti kebudayaan Prasejarah, Amerika utara, Timur India, Jepun, Taiwan, dan negara-negara yang dipisahkan oleh sempadan geografi seperti Thailand, Indonesia, Singapura dan Brunei. Selain itu, terdapat juga motif kesan daripada cangkerang arca granosa yang menunjukkan terdapatnya hubungan interaksi antara kawasan pesisir dengan kawasan pedalaman. Penggunaan motif ini menunjukkan adanya evolusi perkembangan dari zaman Prasejarah iaitu Gua Kelambu ke zaman protosejarah iaitu Lembah Bujang dan Sungai Mas melalui Guar Kepah.

Kata kunci: Tembikar tanah, Pasejarah, protosejarah, teknologi

Abstract

The abundance of earthenware at the prehistoric excavation site has sparked the studies on earthenware whether it was complete or incomplete. This study aims to observe the evolution of earthenware from the prehistoric period to the protohistoric period in Kedah in shape and motif. Earthenware is one of the main artefacts found in archaeological excavation, which were used during the Neolithic age and metal age, and developed until the protohistoric period where people during that time were able to make earthenware on a large scale and size. The earthenware was analysed morphologically and typologically to observe the shape and chronology of the form from the two periods which has chronology on the shape, decoration and material found in the earthenware pieces. The earthenware was analysed according to the typology and shape of the pieces such as edge, carination, body, base, cover and stalk. The research methods used in this study were field studies, excavations and library studies. Apart from that, this study used descriptive qualitative analysis. Analysis was carried out on complete and incomplete earthenware. There were evolution in carination based on cross section. The forms produced were more straight and carinated in accordance with the different functions of the cultural context of the transitional society (protohistory). The results of the study showed that the decoration of rope imprint and no decoration were dominant in the early Neolithic era. The variety of decoration showed the universal nature found in foreign cultures such as prehistoric culture, North America, East India, Japan, Taiwan, and countries separated by geographical boundaries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. In addition, there was also motif from the effects of arca granosa shells that showed the interaction between the coastal area and the inland. The use of this motif showed the evolution from the prehistoric period which was Kelambu Cave to the protohistoric period which were Lembah Bujang and Sungai Mas through Guar Kepah.

Keywords: Earthenware, prehistory, protohistory, technology