Borneo Break: Trading in a Cave

Niah Cave which is located in Gunung Subis, has been gazetted as a National Historic Monument in 1958 and in 1974, some 3,100 hectares of surrounding rainforest and limestone hills were included to form Niah National Park. The park while being one of Sarawak's smaller national parks is by no means the least important. In fact, it is definitely one of the most important as the oldest modern human remains discovered in Southeast Asia were found here, thereby, making it one of the most important archaelogical sites in the world. Items found at Niah Cave include Pleistocene chopping tools and flakes, Neolithic axes, adzes, pottery, shell jewellery, boats, mats, iron tools and ceramics and glass beads dating to the Iron Age. The most famous find is of course, a human skull dated at around 38,000 years. Walking 3.5 km from the Park Headquaters, you would probably come to the Great Cave, but not before passing the Trader's Cave first which is really an extended rock overhang where in a long gone era, Chinese traders come to trade for Bird's nest and guano too...

At Trader's Cave...

Traveling Tip: Learn the Local History!