#UNESCO | Lenggong's Bukit Bunuh Crater & Suevite Boulders (Meteorite impact)

History teaches everything including the future.

~ Lamartine ~

History teaches everything including the future.
Lamartine - See more at: http://hnn.us/article/1328#sthash.KLiN6yfe.dpuf

History teaches everything including the future.
Lamartine - See more at: http://hnn.us/article/1328#sthash.KLiN6yfe.dpuf

Tourism Malaysia Perak took us on a new adventure, one that is exclusive and privilege to us lucky medias and bloggers; Lenggong's Bukit Bunuh Crater & Suevite Boulders.

I have never been more ecstatic than this, a roll of UNESCO activities within the 3 days we were in Lenggong, starting with attending the 1st anniversary celebration of Lenggong Valley as a World Heritage Site at Dataran Lenggong, officiated by Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah and a visit to Gua Gunung Runtuh (cave) where they discover the Perak Man. Today; a quick stop at Kota Tampan where we will examine fragments of ash from the Lake Toba volcanic eruption 74,000 years ago as well as a trip to Bukit Bunuh's crater and suevite boulders resulted by the meteorite impact 1.83 million years ago.

Encik Shaiful Idzwan Shahidan explaining the Toba ash rock.

Background

Around 74,000 thousand years ago a colossal eruption from volcanic Lake Toba in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, plunged the earth into darkness and spread a vast dust cloud throughout the region as far as the Indian Ocean. The Lenggong Valley region was inundated with the ash, later called white sand or rock by the local inhabitants. Areas from sea level to 72 meters above were overwhelmed.

The ash was found in several other locations as far afield as the Perak River, West Pahang, Selangor, and Kedah.

In 2007, a mapping survey by University Science Malaysia revealed that the ash had spread over 70km2 to a depth 7-10 meters.

Source : Jabatan Warisan Negara

We were given the opportunity to drive the 4x4 on this rugged challenging terrain to Bukit Bunuh to see for ourselves the crater and suevite boulders, an overwhelming experience for city folks like us. We each took turns driving and I was extremely excited as I was "awarded" with the longest journey. Another check on my list *grin*.

Encik Shaiful Idzwan Shahidan sharing information on suevite boulder.

Background

The Bukit Bunuh BBH 2007 site, in addition, bears the geological scars of a meteorite impact which has been dated to 1.83 million years ago by fission-track technique. The site is strewn with impact breccias such as suevite and other impactites.

A greater significance of Bukit Bunuh emerged in 2007. In that year, within the study area, a hand axe embedded in a suevite boulder was found among the surface artefacts. Further studies by CT-scanning substantiated the observation that it was indeed an embedded metaquartzite hand axe. A sample of the encrusting suevite was sent to the Japan Geochronology Laboratory for dating by the fission-track method (Japan D0806004). A date of 1.83 million years ago was obtained which gave rise to the astonishing revelation that the area was occupied by early man at such an early date. Given that the hand axe had to be present prior to the meteorite impact, human occupation of the site must have predated this impact. Therefore, this site would have been occupied by man earlier than 1.83 million years ago.

Source : Department of National Heritage

Suevite boulders at the palm oil estate.

My turn to drive and I was one of the fastest driver, the man were so super slow *cheeky smile*. We swapped drivers as we reach the foot hill of Bukit Bunuh as the lane was small and narrow and I am not complaining.

Crater formed due to meteorite impact. Now, a lush green palm oil estate.

A Lenggong Carnival Media Fam Trip 2013 in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia Perak. #DiscoverPerak2013