Ancient treasure found and sold

Have you read a news in The Star today, Ancient treasure found and sold in Melaka. I think a news about people unearthed old Portuguese coins, bullets and religious amulets along the banks of the Malacca River had long been stop by the authority but look like nobody done nothing. From the news, sound like we can enjoy a free coin hunting along the Malacca River banks without any interruption by the museum authority. In the news, a scrap metal agent, Rafi, share that the most valuable of which found so far was a cannon ball that fetched RM500, were discovered after an ancient jetty at Stadhuys collapsed in May.

They also found Chinese porcelain pieces and religious paraphernalia from the Malacca Sultanate as well as those from the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial periods. The artefacts are believed to be about 500 years old.

“Also unearthed were bullets and cannons. For the past few days, I have joined six others in combing the river sediment for treasure," Rafi said.

“We have hit the jackpot! There are piles of these artefacts for our picking,” he said, adding that he made about RM1,000 a day by selling the items. Apparently, the brokers are from Singapore.

At the peak of the Malacca Sultanate and when the port was colonised by the Portuguese and Dutch, the river would have seen trading vessels from various countries, some of which could have capsized with their treasures.

Rafi said he was only armed with a ladle and hoe for his search, adding that although the relevant authorities “were aware of the find, nobody had stopped them from digging”.

“I know we should not sell these items but the offer is too tempting,” he said.

“We found mostly items from the Portuguese era. Despite being 500 years old, the coins are well-preserved with their carvings still visible. We have also discovered coins used by the Dutch East India Company.”

Expressing his regret that no effort was made to preserve these historical items, Portuguese-Eurasian Association president Michael Singho said it was ready to buy the artefacts and conserve them at their settlement in Ujong Pasir here.

“I will embark on a fund-raising drive to obtain the items back,” he said.

State Tourism, Culture and Heritage Committee deputy chairman Chua Kheng Hwa said he would bring up the discovery to Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam.

“The items are supposed to be handed over to the museum authority but these people are only interested in making a fast buck.”

Source: The Star.

OK guys, lets go on a hunting trip to Melaka river banks. Anyone want to join?