Saturday, September 03, 2011

Ancient crocodile effigies to lure eco-tourists to Sarawak


MIRI: Ancient crocodile effigies are set to become another of Sarawak's ecological tourism attractions to snap up the tourist ringgit.

Carved from earth and used as part of rituals practised by the Iban and Lun Bawang communities, the 3,000-year-old effigies symbolise the enduring spirit of the crocodile.

The tropical amphibious reptile, it must be noted, outlived the dinosaurs that ruled the earth millions of years ago.

Sarawak Museum director Ipoi Datan said the effigies, which symbolise the spirit of the crocodiles, were discovered in over 70 locations between Betong Division in the southern part of the state and Lawas, Sarawak's northernmost district.

"We have started carrying out a survey on the sites of the effigies in 2004 and the works were intensified, three years later.

"The biggest found so far, is about 53 feet (16.2 metre) long," he said here recently.

From survey works, he said, over 40 sites belonging to the Iban community were found between Betong Division and Balingian, in the Mukah Division.

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