Malaysian archaeologists have spent more than a year investigating the soon-to-be submerged area, and since then they have unearthed more than 70,000 artifacts, including remains from a prehistoric burial site believed to be 16,000 years old.
Excavation of the site is expected to begin in March 2022 and finish in October 2023, according to Live Science, Malaysia's state news agency Bernama.
The study area also includes the caves of Malaysia's Nengiri Valley, which is set to be flooded in the next few years to make way for a hydroelectric power plant.
Nengiri Valley, where the ancient artifacts were allegedly found, is about 135 miles from Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. (Ian Te/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Mother and son work in their garden while unearthing ancient artifacts often found near cemeteries
According to sources, artefacts found in the area included stone tools, pottery and stone ornaments.
Zuriskandar Ramli, an archaeologist at the National University of Malaysia, told Live Science that the remains of 16 people were found buried in 13 sites across four limestone caves.
Fifteen of the 16 skeletons were in a “fully flexed” position, indicating a pre-Neolithic burial, Ramli said.
The Nengiri hydroelectric plant in Kelantan is scheduled for completion in 2027. (Zhu Wei/Xinhua via Getty Images/File)
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The outlier in this group was the stretched posture. Dating of sedimentary layers within the cave determined that this particular skeleton dates to the Neolithic period, about 6,000 years ago.
Among the ancient finds is a complete human skeleton found at Gua Kheledun Kecil, thought to be between 14,000 and 16,000 years old.
“This is the most complete and oldest skeleton in a fully flexed position ever found in the country,” Ramli told Live Science.
According to LiveScience, Ramli said many of the items found in the area were grave goods — items that were purposely buried with the dead.
Skeletons unearthed around the world often have a much bigger story to tell with further study and investigation.
For example, skeletal remains discovered in the ruins of ancient Pompeii, Italy, announced in a press release in August, revealed horrifying details about the final moments of those whose bodies were found.
In August, a press release was issued announcing the discovery of human bones in the ancient city of Pompeii in Italy. (Pompeii Archaeological Park)
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“We know that the woman was between 35 and 45 years old and the man was much younger, between 15 and 20 years old,” park archaeologist Sophie Hay previously told Fox News Digital in an email. “We do not know their relationship or social status.”
“The woman was in possession of a purse and possibly a small box filled with valuables, including gold, silver and bronze coins, small carved jewellery, several pendants and gold and pearl earrings,” Hayes further explained.
“We know these items had monetary value, but we will never know what sentimental value they had to her, or even whether they belonged to her. These items must have symbolized something that she thought was important to take away, whether it was because of monetary value or, particularly in the case of the jewellery, personal possessions that were meaningful to her, in a moment of confusion and fear,” she concluded.
Construction of a hydroelectric plant in an area studied by archaeologists in Malaysia's Nengiri Valley is scheduled to be completed by mid-2027.
