GEORGE TOWN, April 29 — The Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery is predicted to be accomplished in June, mentioned Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He mentioned building is at the moment at 94 per cent completion.
“Works on the gallery is in accordance to schedule and it’s anticipated to open in just a few months’ time,” he advised reporters after attending a cheque presentation ceremony for recipients of heritage constructing restore incentives.
As for the traditional artefacts, together with skeletons, that have been being despatched again from Netherlands, he mentioned the paperwork remains to be in progress.
“This is as a result of it’s between authorities to authorities, a variety of paperwork wants to be accomplished and it wants to be offered to the Cabinet earlier than the artefacts can be introduced again,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the artefacts will be displayed on the Guar Kepah gallery.
It was beforehand reported by DutchInformation.nl that the artefacts have been saved on the National Natuurhistorisch Museum in Leiden after British archaeologists dug up skeletons from Guar Kepah in Penang someday between 1851 and 1934.
The Penang state authorities had reached out to the Dutch authorities to request the return of the skeletons and different artefacts that have been dug up from Guar Kepah.
The skeleton of a lady, named as Penang Woman, was discovered throughout excavation at Guar Kepah in Kepala Batas again in 2017.
The skeleton was the primary and solely remaining Neolithic skeleton discovered in a shell midden in Malaysia.
A complete 41 skeletons from three shell middens — A, B and C — in Guar Kepah have been excavated by British archaeologists between 1851 and 1934.
Shell middens refer to mounds of kitchen particles consisting principally of shells and different meals remnants. It is indicative of historic human settlement and have been typically used as burial websites.
The present Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery displayed a reproduction of the Penang Woman whereas the unique skeleton is being preserved on the Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR).
The state authorities is now in the midst of developing a brand new Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery on the website to show the Penang Woman and the remaining skeletons that can be introduced again from Leiden.
The state authorities is now in the midst of developing a brand new Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery on the website to show the Penang Woman (pic) and the remaining skeletons that can be introduced again from Leiden.— File image by KE Ooi
According to Chow, the state can be forming an archaeological tourism community for the northern area with Kedah and higher Perak.
He mentioned the Penang’s Fort Cornwallis and Guar Kepah may be packaged with Bujang Valley in Kedah and Lenggong Valley in Perak as a community of archaeotourism for researchers and people in archaeology.
“This can be an attraction and NCIA can work on this too,” he mentioned.
Meanwhile, on the state museum in Farquhar Street that has remained closed since 2017 for restoration works will be opened subsequent month.
Chow mentioned the exterior works have accomplished and at the moment, inner works are being performed.
“Since Penang will be internet hosting International Museum Day, the museum will be accomplished and open subsequent month,” he mentioned.
