Historical Exploration of Niah Cave: Tracing Humanity's Civilization on the Island of Borneo 40,000 Years Ago (2)

The appearance of the Niah Caves was photographed from the inside by the author.

This ancient site in Borneo is more than just a cave; it's a living chronicle of human history, revealing evidence of human habitation dating back approximately 40,000 years, as established by T. Harrisson in 1958. 

The cave's walls, adorned with prehistoric artwork and remnants of early human life, offer a tangible connection to our distant ancestors, allowing us to peer into the daily lives and cultural practices of Paleolithic communities. 

Read Historical Exploration of Niah Cave: An Exciting Journey from Sekadau to Tebedu to Kuching (1)

Each step inside felt like a journey through time, where the echoes of the past resonated through the stalactites and shadows.

The significance of Niah Cave extends beyond its historical value, serving as a scientific cornerstone in understanding human migration and evolution in Southeast Asia. 

T. Harrisson. Photo credit: Sarawak Museum.

The experience was not just educational but also emotionally stirring, reminding me of the deep, unbroken connection between past and present. 

Feeling intellectually, spiritually, and physically fulfilled

Feeling intellectually, spiritually, and physically fulfilled the moment my feet set foot in Niah Cave. How could I not! This site is incredibly historic. 

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I’ve spent 20 years researching and wrote a book titled The History of Borneo, a 500-page work equivalent to 150,000 words. However, it hasn't been released yet because I felt it would be incomplete until I visited and personally researched the 'mysteries' and intellectual heritage of Niah Cave.

This historic site has become a world-class heritage destination for Sarawak.

After a 740-kilometer road trip from Kuching to Batu Niah, taking around 14 hours on August 8, 2024, we stayed at the comfortable and pleasant Wawasan Hotel in Batu Niah city. From this hotel, we drove in a Hilux to Niah National Park, having purchased entry tickets—10 ringgit for locals and 20 ringgit for foreigners. 

Read Exploring Batu Niah and the Comfort of Hotel Wawasan: An Unforgettable Experience

With our tickets securely in hand, we embarked on our adventure by crossing the Niah River aboard a motorboat. The gentle hum of the engine and the cool breeze on the water marked the beginning of our journey. Once we disembarked, we faced the next leg of our trek: a 3.1-kilometer walk along a wooden walkway that wound through dense jungle and over a series of slippery, uneven paths. 

A walk from the bank of the Niah River is a unique experience for tourists, as they navigate slippery paths and cross wooden bridges that are 1.5 meters wide and stretch 3.2 kilometers, leading to the entrance of the Niah Caves.

Throughout the journey, we made frequent stops at the rest shelters, taking time to catch our breath and appreciate the serenity of the surrounding nature. Each pause provided a moment of respite and a chance to recharge before continuing on our path. 

By the time we reached the cave entrance, our efforts felt worthwhile. The promise of exploring the ancient depths of Niah Cave was enough to energize us and make the trek an unforgettable part of our adventure.

Tracing humanity's footsteps 

Over in Niah, Miri, Sarawak, it's been scientifically proven that humans have been on the island of Borneo since 40,000 years ago. The folks dwelling in Niah and its surroundings now are of the Iban ethnicity, one of the 7 major Dayak ethnic groups. 

With both scientific and historical evidence, we're assured that there's a convincing correlation between the traces of civilization found in sites and the people inhabiting them, indicating that long before outsiders set foot on the island, there were already folks calling the third largest island in the world their home.

It's a journey of discovery, tracing humanity's footsteps across the rugged landscapes of Borneo, carving stories of resilience and migration into the pages of history.

From the bustling streets of Kuching, the heart of Sarawak, to the rugged terrain surrounding Niah Cave, echoes of ancient civilizations resonate through the ages. Barker and his colleagues, in their groundbreaking work of 2007, unearthed whispers of antiquity, revealing that humans trod these lands some 46,000 years ago, their presence etched into Niah's very hills.

Writer and photographer Arbain Rambey in Niah Cave (August 9, 2024).

It was amid the fervor of the International Congress I of Dayak Culture that I encountered Collins, a beacon of wisdom in the realm of Ethnic Studies. His insights, though not a direct revelation, ignited the flames of curiosity, urging us to delve deeper into the mystery of Niah Cave.

For within its limestone embrace lies the testament of time—a testament scrutinized through the lens of C-14 dating, a collaboration between British researchers and the Sarawak Museum. 

Unveiled in the quiet solitude of Niah

These findings, unveiled in the quiet solitude of Niah, challenge the very essence of our understanding, affirming that our roots run deep, entwined with the soil of Borneo. 

As we know, radiocarbon dating (also known as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method that utilizes the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon, to determine the age of an object containing organic material. 

Developed by Willard Libby in the late 1940s, this method relies on the fact that radiocarbon (14C) is continuously produced in the atmosphere through the interaction of cosmic rays with nitrogen.

So why then do we entertain theories veiled in uncertainty, tales spun from distant lands? Where is the evidence, the tangible markers of history? It is here, amidst the labyrinthine corridors of Niah Cave, that history unfurls its scroll—a narrative that begins some 40,000 years ago.

Niah Cave, nestled within the cradle of Sarawak's embrace, serves not merely as a tourist attraction but as a custodian of ancient tales. It beckons us to explore its depths, to unravel the mysteries concealed within its cavernous halls.

From the "Niah Man" to the "Niah Woman," each discovery reshapes our understanding of humanity's early footsteps upon this earth. 

Read Ulu Aik Kingdom | A Call For Dayak Historical Literacy

In the unparalleled rainforest of Borneo, particularly within Niah National Park, decades of meticulous research by the Sarawak Museum have unearthed fragments of our past, illuminating the shadows of antiquity.

In the windswept expanse of Niah Cave, history whispers its secrets—a testament to human resilience, migration, and the relentless march of time.

As we stand at its threshold, we are reminded of our shared heritage, bound together by the echoes of the past.

Niah National Park, with its rich biodiversity and tropical rainforest ecosystem, serves not only as a habitat for rare species but also as a silent witness to ancient human journeys. The archaeological discoveries in Niah Cave reveal evidence of human activity dating back thousands of years, adding a new dimension to our understanding of early civilizations and the environment that shaped them. 

Each layer of soil excavated and every artifact uncovered connects us with ancestors who once inhabited the same space, weaving a bridge between the past and the present.

-- Masri Sareb Putra