Artifacts found at Central Police Station compound, archeological dig launched
KUCHING: Several artifacts including a glass pill bottle believed to have been made in London in the 1880s, were found during excavation works for a sewerage project in the compound of the Central Police Station here yesterday.
Sarawak Museum Department deputy director Dayang Morzanah Awang Haddy said they had received a report on the findings from the Public Works Department (JKR).
In view of this, she said a site study work is being carried out by the department’s Archaeological Unit.
“Under the Sarawak Heritage Ordinance 2019, any findings in the form of old artifacts must be reported to the Sarawak Museum Department or submitted to the department immediately.
“These artifacts will be brought back to the Museum
Department and we will do an analysis to see its history, the year when they were made, for a full report,” she said during a visit to the site.
It is learnt that most of the discoveries were in the form of pottery either from China or Europe, and also possibly from the Middle East.
Archaeological excavations at the site are expected to take two or three days before a full report can be made.
Among the studies being done are on the land and cultural layers found at the site as well as the history of the construction of the police station itself, to determine whether there were old settlements or rivers in the area.
Earlier in 2018, excavation works carried out around Padang Pasir here also led to the discovery of old railway tracks.