Four 239-year-old tombs found, including that of 19th Kedah Sultan

ALOR STAR: The Kedah chapter of the Malaysian Historical Society (PSMCK), has made its third big discovery this year when four more tombs, including those of the 19th Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II and his queen, Tunku Puteri Almarhum Tunku Ishak were found in Anak Bukit.
According to PSMCK chairman, Datuk Wan Samsudin Wan Yusof , following the discovery of the 239-year-old tombs by its members, the society conducted several preliminary observations of the site.
"Sultan Muhammad Jiwa ruled Kedah from 1710 until 1778 and opened up two administrative cities in Kota Setar and Anak Bukit," he told Bernama at the location.
There, Bernama saw two of the tombs built on layers of bricks and located side-by-side, believed to be that of the royal couple.
Another tomb which was next to that of Sultan Muhammad Jiwa’s was believed to be that of a nobility, while the identity of the fourth could not be determined.
Wan Samsudin said the tombstones were devoid of writings and the PSMCK was still studying them.
The society’s researcher, Syamsyul Anuar Ismail said that according to genealogy records of the Kedah Sultanate by Christopher Buyers, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa died on Sept 20, 1778 and was buried in Kota Setar, but his grave was never found until now.
Of his four wives, only one was royalty, namely Tunku Puteri Almarhum Tunku Ishak, the grand-daughter of the 16th Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Ataullah Muhammad Shah.
"From my experience studying the Acheh stones, looking at the shape, type and size, the tombstones found in Anak Bukit are the largest discovered in Kedah.
"These tombstones are usually called Acheh stones which have been imported from Acheh and sold to the nobility while the common men used wooden tombstones or river stones,” noted Syamsyul Anuar.
On March 23, the PSMCK discovered a tomb believed to belong to the 16th Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Ataullah Muhammad Shah II, at Bukit Pinang, about a month after the discovery of the tomb of the 14th Kedah Sultan, Sultan Muhyiddin Mansur Shah in Kampung Chegar, Mukim Jeram, Tunjang. — Bernama