Early History/ Contents

Pulau Tioman: A port settlement

Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman

Mountainous Pulau Tioman, the largest island off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, was known to ancient mariners plying the trade routes of the South China Sea at least a millennium ago. The island features on early Arab and Chinese maps, and ceramics discovered there, which date from the 10th-century Song Dynasty, are evidence that the island was a port of call for ships engaged in the lucrative maritime trade between South China, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and ultimately Europe.

  • Information in the full article includes
  • The discovery of ancient ceramics
  • Analyzing the discoveries
  • Evidence of early port settlements
Earthenware

Used for storing water and food, paddle-decorated vessels like this cream-coloured earthenware from Pulau Tioman have been found at other Southeast Asian ports.