The centuries-old shipwreck that appeared in Pahang just two weeks ago was believed to be a steamship used by gold miners in the past, according to Malaysian tourism representatives.
Parts of the shipwreck, including wood fragments, as well as artefacts such as old Chinese and European ceramics, will be preserved at the Lipis Heritage Museum along Jalan Bukit Bius, it was said yesterday. Pahang’s Kuala Lipis district has a history of gold mines, some of which are still operational today.
“More than 100 fragments of wood were found which are believed to be part of the ship,” Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin, 58, told reporters. Researchers said that the ceramics were about the same age as the ship itself.
It is still not clear what the name of the latest discovery is after emerging from the receding riverbanks of Sungai Lipis. A mysterious shipwreck appeared in the same river in 2016.
The latest archeological treasure was studied by those from the National Heritage Department and the Pahang State Museum, with the help of local villagers from nearby Kampung Pagar.
Several steam vessels had operated in the Kuala Lipis area during the 1900s, including the SS Amherst, which was believed to have sunk in nearby waters.
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