Viking Cave, Phi Phi, Thailand

My last trip to Ko Phi Phi was in 1995 and on that visit I went to Viking Cave. Viking Cave or Tham Phaya Nak is located on Ko Phi Phi Le, an island in Krabi province in southern Thailand.

Tham Phaya Nak is only accessible by boat as it is located on a sheer rock face. Many visitors go to the cave as part of a boat tour from Ko Phi Phi. View of the cliffs near Viking Cave

The jetty at the cave

The entrance is only a few metres above the jetty. The cave itself is a typical birds nest cave. The main chamber is partly lit by daylight and is huge, more than 100 m across.

There are bamboo ladders disappearing upwards, used by the nest collectors. The celiing is more than 100 m high.

The cave takes its English name from the wall paintings of sail boats. They were likened to viking boats.

Last view of the cliffs

and the cliffs by the beach at Ko Phi Phi

© Liz Price No reproduction without permission

Muzium Negara - cave paintings

The Early History gallery at Muzium Negara, the National Musuem, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has a feature on cave paintings and drawings.

The stone tools which were used to crush the hematite and charcoal -

Hematite and charcoal

There is quite a nice replica of a cave, showing people preparing a fire and one man doing some cave drawings. There are various cave paintings on the walls.

Around the walls are various drawings

At the front of the cave is a skeleton of an infant from Gua Cha.

Read more about Malaysian cave paintings on my website. And more on the museum displays of cave burials.

© Liz Price No reproduction without permission

Muzium Negara - stone tools

This blog features some of the stone tools on display at the National Museum, or Muzium Negara, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Palaeolithic period or Old Stone Age includes the Lenggong Valley in Perak, caves around Lahad Datu in Sabah, and Niah in Sarawak. Different types of stone tools are shown.

Kota Tampan was an important stone tool workshop. It was located in the Lenggong Valley in Perak.

These flaked tools are from Bukit Bunuh, north of Kota Tampan

Hammer stones

Chopper tools (above) and a general collection of tools (below)

The Palaeolithic period or Old Stone Age includes the Lenggong Valley in Perak, caves around Lahad Datu in Sabah, and Niah in Sarawak.

Neolithic sites include Niah and Gua Cha

Some stone axes

Pottery shards were also found. From Gua Kechil in Pahang -

Baturong, Sabah

And some jewellery. A necklace made of shells from Gua Harimau in Lenggong

and ear rings from Gua Niah

See more on the museum displays of Perak Man, and cave burials and cave paiantings.

© Liz Price No reproduction without permission

Muzium Negara - Perak Man

The previous blog was the first one on the National Museum, Muzium Negara, Early History gallery, and generally showed cave burials. This blog is on Perak Man.

Perak Man is the most complete human skeleton found in Malaysia. It was found in Gua Gunung Runtuh in Perak, and is about 11,000 years old.

I assume this is the real skeleton and not a replica, as it is in a show case with temperature and humidity control, making it hard to take photos. 2 weeks after I posted this blog, I read that this skeleton IS that of Perak Man.

See other blog on Perak Man and his previous visit to Muzium Negara.

© Liz Price No reproduction without permission