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Iron Smelting Industry of Kedah Tua: A Geophysical Mapping for Buried Furnace

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Abstract

Being one of the best iron producers in the prehistoric world, Sungai Mas of Kedah Tua was an entrepot for various world civilisations including China, India and Arab through iron industry. With Muda River as the backbone of Kedah Tua’s trading, the river connects numerous iron smelting sites to the entrepot for supply. This study aims to locate a potential iron smelting site using 3D resistivity method at Kuala Ketil; a site situated along Muda River. Considering the location, geometry, size and resistivity values, the archaeological anomaly suggests a promising outcome.

Résumé

L’un des meilleurs sites de production de fer dans le monde préhistorique, Sungai Mas situé à Kedah Tua était une réserve pour différentes civilisations du monde notamment chinoise, indienne et arabe au cours de l’âge de fer. La rivière Muta étant le poumon des échanges commerciaux de Kedah Tua, ce cours d’eau connecte plusieurs sites de fonderie à cette réserve pour leur approvisionnement. La présente étude a pour but de localiser à Kuala Ketil un site potentiel de fonderie en s’appuyant sur une méthode de résistivité en 3D. Ce site se trouve le long de la rivière Muda. Compte tenu de l’emplacement, de la géométrie, de la taille et des valeurs de résistivité, l’anomalie archéologique suggère des résultats prometteurs.

Resumen

Al ser uno de los mejores productores de hierro en el mundo prehistórico, Sungai Mas de Kedah Tua fue un punto de encuentro para varias civilizaciones mundiales, incluidas las de China, India y los árabes por la industria del hierro. Con el río Muda como la columna vertebral del comercio de Kedah Tua, el río conecta numerosos sitios de fundición de hierro con el centro comercial para el suministro. Este estudio tiene como objetivo localizar un sitio potencial de fundición de hierro utilizando el método de resistividad 3D en Kuala Ketil; un sitio situado por el río Muda. Al tener en cuenta los valores de ubicación, geometría, tamaño y resistividad, la anomalía arqueológica sugiere un resultado prometedor.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) under grant ‘Penyelidikan Arkeologi di Malaysia dan Global’ (Grant No. 1001/PARKEO/870015).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia

    Nazrin Rahman, Najmiah Rosli & Rosli Saad

  2. Centre for Global Archaeological Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia

    Mokhtar Saidin & Nor Hidayah Ahmad

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  1. Nazrin Rahman
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  2. Mokhtar Saidin
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  3. Najmiah Rosli
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  5. Rosli Saad
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Correspondence to Rosli Saad.

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Rahman, N., Saidin, M., Rosli, N. et al. Iron Smelting Industry of Kedah Tua: A Geophysical Mapping for Buried Furnace. Arch 16, 168–180 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11759-020-09402-x

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