Old coffins in British North Borneo caves
This short note by Pastor Orolfo, Senior Forest Ranger of the North Borneo Forest Department, documents the discovery of ancient coffins in caves across the Madai, Baturong, and Tapadong Hills of British North Borneo (p. 133).
Summary
Orolfo describes the coffins as being made primarily of Belian and Merbau, with some of softwoods from the Dipterocarpaceae family. They were fashioned by splitting tree trunks, hollowing them out, and carving them; some bear “tembadau” heads on the lids. The coffins are one to two inches thick, can reach nine feet in length, and are so heavy that five men can barely lift an empty one. Smaller coffins found inside larger ones may have contained the deceased’s jewellery and property. The author notes the coffins’ resemblance to Chinese-made examples, suggesting possible Chinese influence given Chinese presence in North Borneo from at least the 12th century (p. 133).
The note lists nine specific caves and locations where coffins have been found, and records that the Dusun at Batu Blas Cave were said to still practise similar burial customs at the time of writing. Orolfo concludes that these sites may be valuable for understanding pre-Chartered Company native life (p. 134).