Tawau Division  >  Lahad Datu  >  Batu Tulug Archaeological Museum

Batu Tulug Archaeological Museum
(Muzium Arkeologi Tulug)
Kampung Batu Putih
Batu Tulug Caves
45 minutes from Lahad Datu

WELCOME TO
AGOP BATU TULUG MUSEUM
Open Daily:
9:00 am to 5:00pm

There are four main caves:
Agop Suriba
Agop Lintaga
Agop Sawat
Agop Dimunduk

COFFINS OF 200 YEARS OLD
125 ancient log coffins

The Agop Lintanga and Agop Sawat (middle and upper caves) contain more than one hundred carved coffins of about 200 - 250 years of age. These coffins were made from 'belian' hardwood, Eusideroxylon zwager and decorated with carvings of buffalo head, crocodile, house lizard and snake.

The carvings on the coffins reflect the myths and legends of the Kinabatangan people, e.g., a crocodile is related to death and the power darkness while the bugang bird, dog, rooster and deer were friends of their heroes.

The origin of the burial activities is still a mystery. Some were of the opinion that these caves were the former burial sites of the Chinese people who had a settlement in Kinabatangan. The form of the carved coffins resemble those which were used by the Orang Sungai community in the past such as those found in the Agop Masias.

Human bones were also found in the coffins together with a number of gongs, blowpipes, spears, Chinese artefacts, ceramic and personal ornaments.

Inside the middle and upper caves are more than a hundred carved wooden coffins dating back 200-250 years, watched over by bats and swallows.
The coffins resemble different animals associated to the beliefs of the Orang Sungai but it has also been said that they are the coffins of the Chinese who once settled in the area as Chinese artifacts were found among the remains.

Located at Batu Putih village and 41km from the Kota Kinabatangan township,
Agop Batu Tulug is a steep limestone cliff that stands 39 meters high and is part of the 20-25 million- year old Labang limestone formation. The word ‘agop' in the Orang Sungai language means cave.

There are four main caves:
1) Agop Suriba (lower) on the forest floor,
2) Agop Lintaga (middle) and
3) Agop Sawat (upper) betweeen 12-15m high.
4) Agop Dimunduk



A site Museum since 1996, it has facilities such as an information center, stairs leading to the caves, toilets and resting huts.

 

Agop Suriba is occupied by bats and swallows.
Agop Lintanga is the biggest of the caves with a ceiling height of 12 - 15 meters. The surrounding areas are covered with jungle except for Batu Putih village.

Agop Batu Tulug (Batu Tulug Cave) is an isolated limestone hill located in Kinabatangan District, Sabah. It is about 40 metres in height, and part of the Labang limestone formation, dated 20-25 million years ago.
There are three main caves in Agop Batu Tulig :
1) Agop Sawat (Uppermost Cave),
2) Agop Lintanga (Middle Cave)
3) Agop Suriba (Lower Cave).
Another smaller cave, Agop Dimunduk is located near the summit of a cliff along the slope of the hill.
Agop Batu Tulug was used as an ancient log coffin burial site from about 500 to 900 years ago. This practice of log coffin burial is prevalent in this part of Sabah.

The caves here (Agog Sawat, Lintanga and Dimunduk) contain more than 125 ancient log coffins, making it a unique cultural heritage of Sabah, Malaysia.

CAR PARK IN AGOP BATU TULUG MUSEUM
The long stretch of parking space in front the museum office can park 30 passenger vehicles.
Batu Putih village can be viewed from here as well.

Young explorers at the cave musium.

AGOP LINTANGA

 

AGOP SAWAT

1. Kaunter Tiket / Ticket Counter
2. Kantin /Canteen
3. Pejabat / Office
4. Pusat Informasi /Information Centre
5. Tandas /Toilet
6. Itumah Kakitangan / Staff Quarters
7. Tangga ke Gua / Staircase to caves
8. Galeri Pameran / Exhibition Gallery
9. Agog Lintanga (middle cave)
10. Agop Dimuduk (upper cave)
11. Agop Sawat (uppermost cave)
12. Agop Suriba (lower cave)

Another Heritage Conservation Project: MINISTRY of COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE
THE PROJECT:
AGOP BATU TULUG, Kinabatangan, Sabah
(CONTRACT NO: T/KPKKW/JWN/P5/70/2008)
PROPERTY OWNER:
Sabah Museum Department
W.D.T. NO. 197, 90200 Kota Kinabatangan, Sabah

START DATE: 25 MAC 2009
COMPLETE DATE: 24 January 2010

PROJECT CONTRACTOR:
CEMERLANG ENTERPRISE
LOT, TINGKAT 1, BLOCK C, BANGUNAN SEDCO, PEKAN MEMBAKUT, SABAH

Driving from Kota Kinabalu the sign board is on the left hand side Muzium Arkeologi Bt. Tulug Kampung Batu Putih (Batu Tulug Archaeological Museum)	Driving from Tawau the sign board is on the right hand side MUZIUM AGOB BATU TULUG

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