A close-up of the gravestone, which is believed to be over 200 years old, found in the river of Kpg Bawang River, Matu.
MUKAH: A gravestone believed to be two centuries old was discovered in Kampung Bawang, Matu recently.
According to the head of the Kampung Bawang, Khalil @ Othman Mahnan, 63, the gravestone was discovered during a recent cleaning of the Kpg Bawang River.
“The gravestone was discovered during a river cleanup operation in our village using machinery,” he told Utusan Borneo, the sister paper of The Borneo Post.
According to Melanau cultural arts teacher, painter and researcher, Leonard Darimi, the gravestone could be as old as 200 years, based on its carvings.
It was discovered on June 20 in the river, about 500 metres away from the present cemetery area.
Khalil and two other village leaders later decided to place it in the cemetery.
According to him, the gravestone has ornate carvings on all four surfaces, and also contains jawi writing.
“But the writing on the tombstone is not very clear,” he added.
The gravestone measures five feet by six inches and has a round head shape of about 10 inches in diameter.
After agreeing with the two villager leaders, they named the gravestone ‘Misan Bepungo Bawang Matu’.
Also present at the placing of the gravestone were the heads of Kpg Bawang Hulu, Mohamad Rasid @ Hamdan Semain and Kpg Bawang Hilir, Manan Maon.