Exploring Brunei’s Past
By NYL

Bandar Seri Begawan - A group of 80 students accompanied by 10 teachers from Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Damit Arabic Religious Secondary Girls School went on an educational trip to the Limau Manis River site recently.

The visit was organised by the History Department of the school and hosted by the Archaeological Section of the Department of Museums.

Among the objectives of the visit were to create awareness and appreciation of Brunei's historical past among the younger generation as well as to enhance students' interest in learning history as a subject.

Awang Hj Osman Salleh, a senior research officer from the Archaeology Section, welcomed the visitors and later gave them a brief introduction of the site.

He said the unearthing of artifacts comprising mostly porcelain dating back to the 10th to 13th centuries, which coincided with the Sung and Yuan Dynasties of China, marked a new era in the study of Brunei's history.

The landmark excavation works commenced on October 21, 2002, unearthing close to 50,000 artifacts. The findings were made by a local company when it carried out an expansion and deepening project at the Limau Manis River.

Ceramics is the longest and a continuously evolving art form in China, which could be dated all the way back to 7,000 B.C. The Chinese first started with earthenware then moved to stoneware in the 11th or 12th century B.C., with added alkaline glaze to enhance the beauty of stoneware.

By the time of the Sung Dynasty in the 12th century A.D., the Chinese had totally mastered the art of porcelain. But it was only when the Mongolians, who conquered China, came on the scene that Chinese porcelain became widely known to people outside China.

The Mongolians were not only conquerors but also able traders. They were the ones who brought the blue pigment cobalt materials from Iraq and Iran to China to decorate blue and white porcelain. Then they exported the new wares to the Near East for a huge profit. Enormous quantities of Chinese greenware, or celadon, were also exported to the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. Celadon, like jade, was believed to have magical and protective powers. It was said that celadon would ring if danger is approaching and would change colours to warn on poisoned food.

During the visit, the students had a first-hand experience in examining the various artifacts at the river site.

They came across numerous shards of yellow unglazed earthenware, stoneware decorated in black under a clear glaze, stoneware with a celadon glaze as well as the blue-and-white porcelain.

They also found wooden items such as tops and weights used for fishing nets, beads and bangles used as ornaments as well as a form of trading currency.

Limau Manis was once inhabited by a large settlement that used the river as a means of transportation, for activities such as fishing and washing, as well as for obtaining food, medicine and building materials. Barter trade also existed between the communities living along the river.

According to Awang Hj Osman, a number of projects could be undertaken to preserve this site for future research and learning. At this moment the site is still relatively unknown.

One proposal is to build an exhibition hall near the site to showcase the exhibits and to attract tourists to the site. A cruise along the Limau Manis River with a stopover at the site could also be a feasible alternative.

Whatever the future holds, one thing is for sure. The richness of the Limau Manis River site will always be there, a reminder of the past and a legacy for generations to come. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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