User:Mike ar Rawi/sandbox

Sungai Batu is part of Bujang Valley but due to a monumental discovery over past years, it has to be written in a separate subject. The rational was, since the research team from Centre of Global Archaeological (CGAR or PPAG) of University Science of Malaysia takes place, it has widen the area of Bujang Valley from about 220 square km to more than 400 square km, which double - up the perimeter and has potentially to expand more.

Sungai Batu had been recognised as the earliest civilisation in South East Asia. It was dated as early as 788 BCE. Iron smelting was the core activity of Sungai Batu society.For record, iron age begins by 1200 BCE in Meditterranean and Middle East. Looking at the numbers of smelting sites, furnaces, tuyeres, iron slags and the span of centuries where the iron smelting industries goes on, there were no doubt, Sungai Batu sites had produced enormous amount of iron, particularly iron ingot.

The excavation also discovered several wharfs, administration buildings,harbour-master offices, warehouses, almost a dozen of submerged ships in the ancient river stream and the ritual monument has clearly indicates there was a systematic society had ruled Sungai Batu and the vast area Bujang Valley or Kedah Tua Ķingdom which also recorded by ancient civilisations and explorers as Kataha, Kalah, Chie-Cha, Kalagam and some other names.

Within 2 kilometres radius, there were 52 sites had been excavated out of 97.

Apart of iron ingot as major commodity, it was written in ancient manuscript that Sungai Batu was the second best sword producer in the world after Yemen. Al Kindi who lived in 9th Century, have wrote a research and mentioned the sword of Qala'i from Kalah was among the best in the world.

It was also believed that the some type of Qala'i swords were being altered and became Yemeni's sword. There were high probabality that the best Yemeni sword were actually an altered version of Qala'i sword. Mis'ar ibn Muhalhil,an Arab traveller, confirming that Qala'i sword was the sword made in the country called Qalah. Qalah or Kalah was the ancient name of Kedah where Sungai Batu located. Eventhough there are several places called Qalah, but historically and archaeologically, only Qalah or Kalah in modern day Kedah involved in iron industry by that time.

The structure of the ritual monument distinguishes it from Chandi in Bukit Batu Pahat nearby the Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum which were heavily influenced by Hindu / Buddhis. None of Hindu or Buddhis motives or artefact were found at Sungai Batu ritual monument.

The structure was build in two stages. The lowest which is circle with 10 metre radius was build in 110 AD ( Chandi Borobudur 780 AD, Angkor Wat 1113 AD). The researchers have concluded it's belong to animisme religion but do not reject the idea of monotheisme.