Related articles on 'Dragons and their origin'

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On the Origin of Dragons

During the middle ages no one ever pondered over the question where dragons might originate from. They were thought to have existed from the beginning of the earth. This changed at the turn of modern times. During the 17th century scientists began to doubt the real existence of dragons, but conceded that fantastic creatures were at least possible. As a consequence "faked" dragons compiled of mummified rays, bats and other ingredients found their ways into the early museums (or rather cabinets of curiosities) as examples of possible but yet undiscovered creatures (STECKNER, 1997). Simultaneously a new question arose. How came dragons into existence? The old Christian explanations on the creation of the earth crumbled. Additionally there was severe doubt, whether such fierce animals were really God´s creatures. But the Bible never explicitly mentioned creative powers of the Devil. Could there be another way for the origin of dragons?

In 1683 to 1691 Eberhard Werner HAPPEL published his Relationes Curiosae, a collection of curiosities. There he commented on events of the day and reported stories from exotic countries, he presented scientific discoveries of various disciplines as well as descriptions of landscapes, their inhabitants and folk lore. The book gained such popularity that during the ensuing decades faked editions and sequels were issued.

Of course HAPPEL could not ignore the dragon. He first presents the story of Deodatus de Gozon, a young knight of St. John who killed a dragon on the isle of Rhodes in 1345. HAPPEL afterwards lists some well-known facts: Dragons are manifold - some possess wings and others don’t, some have four and others two legs. Their feet could be compared to those of goose, lions or eagles, but all dragons are said to be venomous. But then he suddenly states that they are monsters or miraculous creatures which could not spring from an ordinary copulation of two common animals of different species. (of course he mentioned the mule as an example of such a bastard). And he gives the explanation: It is well accepted that dragons inhabit the remotest dwellings such as caves, cliffs or deserts. Only eagles, vultures and other birds of prey are their companions. In fact they dwelled there even before the dragon. To these places they brought their prey - snakes, birds, rabbits, lambs, dogs, and even little children! - to lacerate and devour them. And there the remains decayed. But still remnants of the semen of these unlucky victims survived. Of course it was impossible that this seed could develop ordinary animals. But through time the semen of various creatures would intermingle and at last a kind of "fermentation putrefaction" would give birth to a dragon. Logically, this dragon will show features of all animals involved: head and tail of the snake, wings of a bird or bat, ears of a rabbit and legs of whatever kind of being.

HAPPEL certainly had not invented this strange and peculiar theory. But where was it derived from? Here we have to leave our friends, the dragons, for a while and face another phenomenon that puzzled scientists of the 16th and 17th century: formed stones. The term "fossil" then was still used in its original, very broad sense for everything unearthed from the ground - petrified animals as well as roman coins, minerals or pottery. The origin of formed stones (or fossils in its modern meaning) was a matter of scientific debate. It was not before 1708 that Johann Jakob SCHEUCHZER (amongst others) recognized their real nature. The main theories have been summarized by Johann Bartholomaeus Adam BERINGER (1667-1740) in his Lithographiae Wirceburgensis (1726).

The story of his "lying stones" forms one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of paleontology (KIRCHNER, 1935; JAHN & WOOLF, 1963). BERINGER was a virtuoso - a "learned dilettant". Figured stones fascinated him. On May 31, 1725 the worthy physician was presented three stones, one bearing the figure of the sun, the other two a kind of worm. His interest was roused. During the ensuing months BERINGER found plenty more on a hill near his home town Würzburg (Germany). He not only studied his findings but also reviewed all theories that could explain their origin. The results were published in 1726. Soon afterwards he found a stone having his own name engraved upon it - and suddenly realized that he had been fooled. His treasures were man-made! He tried to buy back all copies of his book and was soon financially ruined.

There were many riddles about the authors of this hoax. One explanation often heard was that the stones had been used by a lover of BERINGER´s wife to get his rival out of the house keeping him occupied for a significant time. Others spoke of a foul joke by some of his students. However, the hoax had an academic background. The artifacts had been produced and laid out by J. Ignaz RODERIQUE, professor of geography, algebra and analysis at the University of Würzburg, and Johann Georg von ECKHARD, librarian to the university, who systematically ruined their colleague (KIRCHNER, 1935) because "he was so arrogant and despised them all" (JAHN & WOOLF, 1963).

BERINGER had pondered much over the origin of formed stones. The english translation of his Lithographiae Wirceburgensis (JAHN & WOOLF, 1963) is supplemented with notes by the editors which give a good synopsis of the most important theories. A common explanation well in accordance with the doctrines of Christianity interpreted fossils as tokens of the omnipotence of the almighty God. Some people believed that formed stones were extraordinary manifestations of platonic archetypes. And for others they were just a lusus naturae, a caprice or fancy of nature. BERINGER was inclined to that view.

Robert PLOT (1640-1696), the first keeper of the Ashmolean Museum, secretary of the Royal Society, and editor of the Philosophical Transactions rejected both these popular theories as well as the idea of an universal Noachian Deluge (see below) as the origin of formed stones. His basic observation was that salts always crystallized into specific geometrical figures such as, e.g., cubes or octahedrons. He attributed this phenomenon to a special plastic power (vis plastica). And if that power could form salt into complicated geometrical shapes, why could it not create stones with the appearance of animals? To him formed stones were lapides sui generis generated by a "plastic power [or virtue] or whatever else it is that effects these shapes".

Johann Jakob SCHEUCHZER (1672-1733) rejected these ideas. He was a dedicated follower of the diluvia theory. You may remember his famous paper Homo Diluvii Testis (1726) in which he misinterpreted the skeleton of a Miocene giant salamander (which today bears his name: Andrias scheuchzeri TSCHUDI) for the remains of an unlucky human drowned in the Noachian Flood. His most remarkable book, however, is Piscium Querelae et Vindiciae - "The Grievances and Claims of the Fishes". Fossil fish from all over Europe appeared before an imaginary - or should I say "virtual"? - court. They accuse and attack the adherents of odd theories, such as the vis plastica, lusus naturae or aura seminalis, who deny their true nature. According to SCHEUCHZER they are real fish that once had lived and had been drowned during the Biblical inundation because of man’s wickedness, and indeed perished with him. Don’t raise the objection that fishes are creatures of the water and therefore will never drown! SCHEUCHZER of course had thought of that. With a few exceptions (e.g., the eel or the salmon) fish prefer and are restricted to water of a specific salinity. During the Deluge marine fish were exposed to fresh water. On the contrary lacustrine and fluviatile fish were washed into the sea. Both could not endure the enormous amounts of mud created during the flood. They were suffocated and perished (remember that not a single creature besides those on the ark survived; Gen. 7, 23).

Karl Nikolaus LANG, a colleague of SCHEUCHZER´s, advocated a different point of view. He assumed that formed stones originate within the earth where animal seeds were activated by subterranean heat, proper fluid matter, latent plastic power and the seminal breeze. He stated that this process is more rapid than that of natural generation, but in most cases terminates in the creation of a partial body. Snow water should exert a major positive influence on this process.

However, this was not an original theory. LANG had just modified an older hypothesis by Edward LHWYD (1660-1709). LHWYD succeeded PLOT as the keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in 1691, but he never subscribed to his predecessor’s and teacher’s ideas on the origin of fossils. He became one of the greatest proponents of the "Spermatick Principle" or aura seminalis. For centuries it had been assumed, that the active power of reproduction belonged exclusively to the male. It was believed that the head of a sperm already contains a tiny creature resembling the later adult. Of course this sperm needs an appropriate environment and nutrient to develop which are provided by the female. But why could not also the earth contain some sort of nutrient to stimulate development, a kind of "saline moisture of an occult sort"? Then nothing would prevent development once the spawn or semen of an animal had insinuated itself through cracks and fissures into the earth. The result, however, should not be a perfect creature. Only the female uterus could provide the environment for the proper growth and development of the offspring. Semen embedded into the womb of Mother Earth will accommodate to this new milieu and bring forth stony adults. And sometimes it has not enough power to create complete specimens so that major parts of the petrified animal could be missing.

It was LHWYD´s theory of the "Spermatic Principle" which had been modified to explain the creation of dragons. We should add, that some followers of this theory saw the whole world saturated with semen: Water contains the spawn not only of fish. When it evaporates the spawn not simply desiccates and dies, but is transferred into a new medium, the air. Later it will be washed to the ground again during rainfalls. We should thus not be astonished by the idea that semen of various animals abounds in the vicinity of an eagle’s or vulture’s Eyre. And it surely gets intermingled before it finds its appropriate "saline moisture". Similar to spawn in rock fissures the semen of a single animal is not able to develop a complete, proper creature. But mixed with other sperms it will bring forth a monster or dragon.

The "Spermatic Principle" was only a short-lived episode in the history of paleontology. However, it gained much popularity amongst common people, so that, e.g., in 1734 ZEDLER still could attribute the creation of dragons to this hypothesis.

This article was first published in: The Dragon Chronicle, vol. 14: p. 9-11, London.

References

• HAPPEL, E.W. (1683-91): Groesste Denkwuerdigkeiten der Welt oder sogenannte Relationes Curiosae. - Reprint, 554 pp., Berlin (Rütten und Loening), 1990.
• JAHN, M.E. & WOOLF, D.J. (1963): The Lying Stones of Dr. Johann Bartholomew Adam Beringer being his Lithographiae Wirceburgensis. - 221 pp., Berkeley & L.A. (Univ. California Press).
• KIRCHNER, H. (1935): Die würzburger Lügensteine im Lichte neuer archivalischer Funde. - Zeitschr. dt. geol. Ges., vol.87, p. 607-615, Berlin.
• SCHEUCHZER, J.J. (1708): Piscium Querelae et Vindiciae. - 36 pp., Tiguri [= Zürich].
• STECKNER, C. (1997): Phantastische Belege oder phantastische Lebensräume? Fabelwesen in frühneuzeitlichen Naturalienkabinetten und Museen. - in: SCHMUTZ, H.-K.: Phantastische Lebensräume, Phantome und Phantasmen, p. 33-76, Marburg a/Lahn (Basilisken-Presse).
• ZEDLER, J.H. (1734): Grosses vollständiges Universal-Lexicon aller Wissenschaften und Künste, vol. 7, col. 1374, Halle und Leipzig (Joh. Heinrich Zedler). - Reprint Graz (Akad. Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt), 1961.

Research and article by J. Georg Friebe

Naga - Mitos atau realiti?

Salah seorang pembaca telah menhantar email kepada PRSG dan bertanyakan tentang makhluk yang bernama 'Naga' samada ianya wujud atau sekadar mitos khayalan purbakala. Artikel dibawah diharap dapat menjawab dan memberikan informasi serba sedikit mengenai apa itu 'naga' dan adakah ianya wujud.

Dalam kepercayaan turun temurun peradaban manusia, naga telah menjadi simbol budaya dan kepercayaan dalam kehidupan. Naga dikaitkan dengan kekuasaan, kekuatan, mistik serta spiritual. Namun begitu persoalan tentang wujudnya naga telah menjadi isu perdebatan antara para pengkaji dan jika dilihat dari segi penulisan, mitos naga telah wujud hampir 330 tahun sebelum Masihi. Mitos naga terhasil daripada penemuan tinggalan tulang dinasor yang dianggap oleh manusia terdahulu sebagai tulang naga walau secara saintifiknya manusia wujud selepas ketiadaan dinasor, dan tiada rekod purba yang menyatakan manusia hidup sezaman dengannya, akan tetapi disebabkan proses perkembangan ilmu maka kini manusia telah mengklasifikasikan tulang haiwan gergasi yang disangka naga tersebut kepada spesis dinasor samada yang tinggal di lautan atau daratan mengikut era perubahan cuaca bumi sehinggalah kewujudan manusia yang seterusnya menjadi 'gergasi' hingga ke hari ini. Secara mitos amnya naga terbahagi kepada beberapa jenis mengikut habitat serta perilakunya. Terdapat naga gunung, naga lautan, naga tasik serta naga langit. Mengenai soalan anda tentang naga, kewujudan makhluk tersebut telah menjadi pertikaian sekian lama kerana tiada bukti kukuh samada berbentuk fizikal iaitu tulang, gambar sebenar atau foto makhluk tersebut yang berjaya ditangkap. Apa yang sering digambarkan adalah berdasarkan kepercayaan kaum atau puak tertentu dan ianya lebih kepada imaginasi sahaja. Tentu ada yang bertanya bagaimana pula dengan imej naga yang sering digambarkan oleh orang Cina, India, Eropah malahan orang Melayu? Jika kita perhatikan dari segi rupa bentuk fizikal, terdapat banyak perbezaan. Naga orang timur lebih kepada berbentuk seperti ular besar, berkuku tajam, bersisik dan ada yang berkaki empat tetapi berlainan pula halnya dengan naga dari Eropah yang mempunyai sayap dan menghembuskan api.

Sebelum kita menghurai dan membincangkan mengenai mahluk naga ini, tahukah anda dari mana asal perkataan naga itu datang?

Perkataan naga adalah berasal dari perkataan Sanskrit ‘Nag’ yang merujuk kepada ular besar serta dikaitkan dengan peringkat separa ktuhanan seseorang penganut Hindu dan Budha kuno itu yang boleh menyerupai salah satu diantara dua kejadian iaitu samada manusia atau ular. Bagi kepercayaan kuno mereka, golongan ini selalunya berwajah cantik dan tampan walaupun adakalanyanya mereka merbahaya kepada manusia serta mempunya kerajaan di alam mistik yang dikenali sebagai Naga-Loka ata Pata-Loka. Di dalam kitab Injil pula, naga merujuk kepada ‘the Old Snake’ iaitu Syaitan yang menyerupai seekor ular dan telah memperdayakan Adam dan Hawa untuk memakan buah larangan. Namun begitu, di dalam Al Quran Nur Karim tiada yang menyebut tentang wujudnya makhluk naga ini kecuali makhluk lain selain dari manusia iaitu para Malaikat, golongan Jin serta Syaitan.

Perbahasan serta teori tentang naga ini telah menjadi topik utama para arkeologi serta saintis selama beberapa dekad malah respons dari umum dengan penghantaran imej foto malah dalam ada yang dalam bentuk rakaman makhluk naga ini mula menular sehingga dewasa ini. Ada yang mendakwa melihat dengan jelas bentuk makhluk ini ketika di laut tetapi, setelah dikaji kebanyakannya adalah akibat tersilap tafsir tentang haiwan seperti ikan ‘Oarfish’ atau dalam nama saintifiknya ‘Regalecus Glesne Ascanius’ yang oleh membesar sehingga 20-40 kaki panjang dan mencapai berat sehingga 400 paun. Spesis ikan ini hidup di dasar lautan yang mempunyai kedalaman sehingga 700 meter dan hanya akan berada hampir dengan permukaan jika ia sakit atau cedera dan kemungkinan ketika berada di permukaan air ini ia disalah ditafsir sebagai ‘naga’ kerana bentuknya yang pelik. Dibawah adalah bentuk fizikal ‘Regalecus Glesne Ascanius’ sebenar atau dikenali sebagai ‘naga laut’

Bagaimana pula halnya dengan naga daratan atau udara? Pada dasarnya mitos mengenai naga juga ada menyebut tentang jenis naga yang wujud serta habitatnya seperti di pergunungan, hutan rimba serta langit atau udara Namun secara ringkasnya merujuk kepada spesis yang sama. Terdapat cerita rakyat mengenai pertarungan antara naga dan manusia seperti cerita dari Eropah dimana hikayatnya menceritakan keberanian satria purba memburu dan membunuh naga dengan bersenjatakan tombak, panah serta pedang.

Cerita lagenda seperti ini amat popular di negara Eropah seperti England, Romania, Greece dan negara-negara yang lain dengan watak satrianya seperti St George, Beowulf. Tetapi mengapa ianya berbeza dengan naga dari Asia yang lebih digambarkan sebagai pembawa tuah oleh orang Cina? Walau apapun penjelasannya, makhluk naga ini ringkasnya wujud dalam mitos lagenda yang terhasil dari terhadnya ilmu alam pada waktu itu dan akhirnya melahirkan haiwan atau makhluk mistik lain walhal pada akhirnya dianggap haiwan biasa oleh kita di zaman moden ini. Seperti contoh yang terdapat pada satu lukisan kurun ke 11 pada dinding bangunan gereja Garona, Sepanyol di Eropah.

Gambar ini sebenarnya merujuk kepada paus dan lumba-lumba akan tetapi disebabkan pelukis melukis sebegitu rupa maka akhirnya disilap tafsirkan sebagai naga air atau naga lautan dan sudah tentu pada ketika zaman itu manusia mungkin tidak pernah melihat haiwan gergasi seperti paus lalu menganggapnya makhluk naga dan sebagainya. Dan tidak mustahil haiwan yang sememangnya bersaiz besar seperti biawak Komodo dibawah akan dianggap naga belantara atau naga daratan kerana sifat agresifnya oleh nenek moyang kita dahulu.

Kesimpulannya apa yang ingin diterangkan disini ialah, hasil dari perkembangan keilmuan serta ketamadunan manusia kini, kita mula memahami akan kehidupan makhluk khususnya haiwan reptilia yang sebenarnya bersaiz biasa dan perilaku serta habitatnya berbanding dengan pemikiran manusia lampau yang mengaitkan haiwan reptilia ini sebagai raksasa yang bengis sehingga menjadi watak mitos yang menjadi cerita pusaka ketamadunan manusia. Walau apapun, terpulang kepada kita yang waras untuk menentukannya lagi.


Artikel oleh R Iskandar

Paracrypt Research and Study Group

Piasau Camp House No 75A

Short background of House No 75A, Piasau Camp

In 1970-90’s, many stories of haunting reported by the Auxiliary Police veterans who experienced it during night shift to patrol the area of Piasau Camp. Stories of several earthbound spirit roaming at their place of death is quite famous among them for example the apparition of suicide maid, a ghost of deceased gardener, and other kind of strange sightings is still a mysteries for some retired veterans of AP’s and workers of the SSB housing estate. But the most up closed and personal encounter was the ghost of suicide maid located in the area of House 75A . This haunting ground was situated at the end of Piasau Camp which is few metres away from the last road bump of Piasau Camp’s main road heading to Pulau Melayu. Since the last patrol check point was located near the compound of the house No 75A , most of the AP’s encounters several creepy experiences whenever they came to set the last patrol clock. Goosebumps, strange noise, ghostly woman apparitions, dark figure and even a half torso apparition crossing the road in the middle of the night are some examples of 75A ghost sightings. According to some veterans who had experience the sightings during their time of service with the SSB, the house itself have a very spooky and bloody history which happened many years ago (some veteran maids who works in Piasau Camp said, the case happened somewhere around 1974-5 when it was still occupied) There’s a story of an Iban maid who committed suicide by hanging herself with a piece of cable/rope in the lower room- which is the maid’s bedroom. Motive of her suicide was unclear but according to some veterans workers of Piasau Camp, her suicide was connected to the affair she was having with her Chinese SSB employer which later ends up in pregnancy. Since her employer refused to take the responsibility, she takes her life by committing suicide. Since then, her earthbound spirit haunted the house and seldom seen roaming in her room on the lower floor holding candles on her hands and suddenly vanished without trace. And according to some witnesses, the earthbound spirit also have been seen moving around on the first floor(expatriate's living floor) or sitting next to the window looking towards the passing vehicles. And based on last February, when ParaCrypt Team of 4 lead by Fadlee when to the area during the night time to do some site assessment and data, they experience hard goosebumps and encountered a pale white apparition in formation of mist moving across the lower rooms heading to the kitchen area starting from the main master bedroom which was suspected to be the place where the haunting starts. Due to avoid any problems with the authority since it was about 1145 pm and the area was restricted for non residents they when back and when they try to developed the photo which they took with Sony digital camera, all the file was blank and seems like to be never been used.

Below was part of the First Stage assessment during the house visit on 16 February 2007

2030 hrs – Me, Hafiz, Adi and new member Jack do some equipment check- charged digital camera,flash lights with batteries, handy cam, note book, and night jacket to avoid cold temp during night investigation. We when to Saberkas Com Centre and take dinner- Nasi Goreng Kampung, Roast Chicken wings and some greens. Call Ezan@BlackPenguin to inform him about our trip. He advised just to take rapid assessment on area and come back early to avoid probs. Later he will try to get authorization from SSB AP OIC to have a official authorization to do paranormal study and investigation on the site.

2136 hrs – Fill up bike tank. Me and Hafiz on the same motorbike while Adi and Jack using Jack’s scooter.

2205 hrs- Arrived at the house. Bushes and old palm trees on the right hand side welcomes us. Thank you (joke). Park the bike in the porch space and start collecting data. Hear a faint scratching sound coming from the first floor. Due to condition of the house, perhaps comes from the small tree branches scratching the asbestos roof.

20 meters from the porch’s end was River Miri. Hafiz goes to the dark kitchen which located next to back staircase. Slow breeze felt. Jack and Adi check the first floor from back staircase. Received call from Penguin for report.

Checking the lower floor and go to the master room. Lower floor divided into four sections. Kitchen and toilet was on the left side and two more room on the right. Twigs and dead leafs everywhere. No exact info on how long the house has been abandoned or unoccupied. Hafiz go to the second room which is in the middle between the kitchen area and master room. Master room is roughly 14x12 feet’s wide. Still need to be confirms later. No switch or light panel. Broken and exposed. Might be 15- 20 years emptied. First team goes to backyard with handy cam to investigate the area after seeing some weird movement somewhere among the bushes and the old tree. Few minutes later Adi complains bout the thick bushes. Hafiz take few shots with our cams in the master bedroom and stays in the room for about 20 minutes. Hafiz thinks this room might be the place of the maid’s suicide. Heard faint soft voice coming from the room. Cam still running and recording .Unpleasant feelings felt by us.

2245 hrs - Go out together to meet the other 2 guys after experiencing hard goosebumps. Jack shout ‘ Fxxk what is that!” pointing straight to us with flash light. Turn around and saw pale grayish/white thick mist about my height (Mine is 570 cm height) moving across the rooms toward the kitchen and vanished near the back staircase. First team dashed towards parked motorbike in panic. Jack accidentally falls after tripped into the small ditch which surrounding the building. No serious injury. Broken flash light. Smell weird odors. Maybe from the pollute river. Adi wants to check the room again and go upstairs with Hafiz while Jack sitting on the Yamaha motorbike. Take video shots focusing on upper and surounding area with handy cam for about 20 minutes and mostly focus in the master bedroom. Heads cam towards the stair. Thought seen something. None. Perhaps imagination. Goosebumps continuously felt by all team members.

2325 hrs – Double check belongings to avoid of being left behind. Adi gave Ezan@BlackPenguin a phone call to inform about the incidents. Ezan ask to meet him at Perwira 24 Restaurant.

2340 hrs – Leave for Perwira 24. Adi complaints bout his goosebumps all the way. Jack still looks in panic after first assignment.

First Stage Assessment Report.

Duration

1 hour and 35 minutes

Findings

1) Roughly 15-20 years abandoned. Yet to be confirms with AP’s. Thick bushes surrounding the compound. No trace of recent clearing by contractor.

2) Faint scratching heard from first floor upon arrival. Surrounding temperature- cold du to slow breeze.

3) Thick bushes and some window panes missing. Doors in bad shape and upper floor- some place is slippery and mossy due to the roof leakage over the years. First floor have 5 section. 1 living room shares with dinning room, 1 kitchen, 1 bath room + toilets and 1 master bed room and 2 single bedroom. All in old condition.

4) Lower floor divided into 4 sections. I kitchen, I bathroom + toilet, 1 single room and 1 master bedroom. All with dead leaves and twigs also soils. Master bedroom in poor condition same with others. No switch panel (perhaps being stolen by vandals). Few glass pane missing from the window frames, soils and grass everywhere.

5) Back staircase still intact but need to be more caution on stepping it. Paint samples taken from the wall seems to be about untouched for many years.

6) Greyish/white thick mist moving across the lower floor rooms towards the kitchen finally vanished near the staircase. And weird odors came from the river. (Note- Nearby river was about 80-90% polluted by oils and some irresponsible peoples sometimes dumps garbage in the river and known as one of the most polluted river in Malaysia)

7) Cold temp felt in every room (might be cause by the room’s humidity)

Physical Evids and data collected

a) Paint samples from the wall.

b) All soft recording (from digital camera and handy cam giving blank recording. Tapes and memory card seems to be never been use even though double check on the equipments, tapes and memory card have been done before going to the location)

c) Only individual team experiences and observations recorded in papers.

ParaCrypt RSG Team member on field- Fadlee, Hafiz, Adi and Jack (New member)

( March 2007 Hafiz and Jack continue their study in local college and university while Adi still active with haunting activities with Fadlee- one of our active member. Still waiting for their reports on Bintulu and Sibu Weekend Haunting trip and mysterious ‘Batu Katak’ among local punters which located somewhere between the old Bintulu- Sibu Highway)

Other haunting which is connected to House No XX was the mysterious apparition of bulls near the small hockey field which situated 40-50 meters from the house by local AP’s. According to the report, one night when he was patrolling at the border of Piasau Camp, suddenly he realized a herd of buffaloes unguarded near the area. Due to the security reason and to avoid the herds trespassing into the area, he went to the operation office and report back to his supervisor for assistance which later went with him to the place where he stumbles with the beast. After seeing the hockey field was empty and neither buffaloes nor other animals were around, they when back to the operation office and the AP keep on convincing his supervisor about what he saw. And after the incidents, many mysterious encounter of the dark herds buffaloes which vanished into thin air whenever guards try to approaching it.

On present day, House No 75A is still empty and seems to be abundant perhaps due to the haunting cases which once occurs there or maybe just waiting her turns to be demolished by authorities and to be replaced with new house building. In the other hand, ParaCrypt RSG is still planning to conduct further research and study on the house history and on ground investigation and for the moment still trying to get into contact with the SSB AP OIC for permission.

- Latest update-

The house already demolished in order to give way to new house construction. Until date, no update yet regarding any haunting of the sites but PRSG still open the case for further research.

Ghost image from Paracrypt RSG readers 2

Top image- Image showing a myterious face peeking from behind a tree. According to our sender, the mysterious image looks like a man/old lady peering from behind the trees. Paracrypt explaination was, based on the natural and environmental background of the image, it might be caused by the dark contrast from the bark of another tree which causing the blurry ghostly image.

Bottom image- Ghostly apparition passing at the back of the Thai girl. This ghostly apparition phenomenon is similar to a classic photo of 2nd WW image of a deceased soldier looking towards the camera from his friend's back

Perhaps this mysterious ghost in the picture was once their Thai friends or might be the ship doomed crew? Judge it yourself and we like to hear comments from Paracrypt RSG readers.

Photo from reader

We received some image and photo of 'ghost' and 'apparitions' from our readers for examination. But unfortunately some of it reveal as a hoax and most of them were tampered image using Photoshop and other technique. Few of the 'ghostly' image were also caused by natural formation or elements such as smoke etc which accidentaly thought as ghost apparitions.

Caused by thin smoke from remaining cigarettes. Judge it yourself.

Image caused by natural dark and bright contrast of sand and stone in the water.

Photoshop tampering effect


Another image editing using Photoshop technique. Note the same 'ghost' effect of the photo with the previous one.


Caused by natural waterfall running down on the rocky surface. But some experts from other research society said it was done using photo editing software. Judge it yourself.


Another too good to be true by using Photoshop.


Hoax photo of a ghostly face.

These are only some of the confirmed fake photo from readers and thanks to the team and other expert researcher who assist in the photo cross examination. However, perhaps some of the sender actualy not aware the actual cause of the mysterious shape due to short knowledge which can create unique image, but willing to know more about the explaination on it. Unfortunately some of people out there always creating fake stuffs for fun and pleasure and also creating email or web pranks just for their popularity.

Anyway, we thanks to the sender for their photo and image.

Was it ours? (Article by Katana)

For Malaysian, we have a lot of tall tales and legends such as Mahsuri, Puteri Sa'adong, Puteri Santubong and many more. Even some of the legends already became movies and the most famous was the Legend of Si Tanggang and Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup in late 50's by outstanding local movie director. Do we know that some of the legends were adapted from other countries? Perhaps some of the readers will say no or other say yes. Based on my readings and research on this tall tales, what i found was, some of the legends actualy originate from neighboring country such as Si Tanggang and Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup.

Jong Batu in Brunei







In Brunei legends, the stories of Nakhoda Manis was very famous among old folks. The story goes like this:-

A long time ago, there was a rich merchant named Nakhoda Manis. His father passed away when he was young and he inherited a large pool of wealth. Nakhoda Manis lived with his mother, Dang Ambon in a water village in Brunei Darussalam. They lived happily as the properties they had was enough to sustain them.

One day, Nakhoda Manis decided to travel and to trade in Sulok, a commercial city. On the day he left the water village, his mother cried and urged him to take good care of himself and to come back as soon as his business was completed. Years passed but Dang Ambon did not hear any news of her son. She became very sad. Constantly she prayed to Allah for the health and safety of her son and she even donated money to orphans and did charity. Eventually her remaining wealth was gone and she became a very poor lady in the water village.

Many years later, there was news that her son's ship was going to anchor in the River of Brunei. Dang Ambon was elated; she could not wait to see her son again! She used a small old boat to reach the ship as it anchored and called out to her son, “My dear son! How I missed you when you were gone!”

Nakhoda Manis had built a great career and had won the hand of a beautiful lady in his years in Sulok. When he heard the voice of his mother, he was very happy and he wanted to introduce his mother to his wife. Before he could do so, his wife shouted angrily, "Who is this dirty, old woman in that boat? Tell her to go away, quick!" Nakhoda Manis felt embarrassed. “Tell the old woman that I’m not her son. My mother is young and rich,” said Nakhoda Manis. Dang Ambon was chased away by the crew from the ship.

She did not give up and continued shouting, "I am your mother, Nakhoda Manis. I am your lovely mother.... I missed you so much, son, come back to me...," Nakhoda Manis was even more embarrassed. He commanded all his crew members to push the old boat away. Dang Ambon was heart-broken.

The sky suddenly turned dark and the wind became strong. Thunder struck Nakhoda Manis's ship and everyone in the ship went into a state of panic. A storm came and the waves became very aggressive. His ship began to sink and the shouts of Nakhoda Manis and his crew was soon covered by the raging storm. The ship finally sank.

When everything was calm again, the people saw a huge rock in the middle of the sea. The ship and its entire crew had turned into a huge rock because of Nakhoda Manis’ lack of filial piety. That is how the stone, "Jong Batu" came into existence in Brunei Darussalam.

However, in Malaysia, people believed that the story was happened in our land and the remaining 'stoned ship' can be seen in Batu Caves according to the author of 'Si Tanggang' story book A Samad Ahmad. According to him in the final chapter, after Si Tanggang was cursed, his ship, and all the item turned to stone and still can be seen inside some portion of Batu Caves. How far was the fact, we still don't know since Batu Caves was a holy place for Hindu and infact, no identical photo of our 'Si Tanggang' version of his stone ship or actual site recorded. Perhaps the stories from Brunei is more convincing eventhough if we look from other aspect of science, this rock formations possibly caused by natural element.

What about the legend of Batu Belah Batu bertangkup? The stry goes back to Rokan, Sumatera Indonesia. The actuakl location was at Bentayan village and there's a big rock which splitted in the middle. The mysterious rock according to Rokan History was actually a giant living clam/sea shells. When the Portugues came to Rokan, they poured a lot of limestone acid which finally kills the giant. According to local tales, before the giant killed by the Portugues, it actually devour and swallow any living creature such as animals which accidentaly step into it's opening. Legend says that a long time ago it happen when a local Rokan broken hearted mother who commited suicide by jumping into the clam/shell mouth and allowing herself swallowed alive by the giants because of her naughty children.

If readers out there can show me some photo of actual Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup in Malaysia please info me at evpshockwave@surferboard.com

Lutong Airstrip Report

Research/Study Case

Type 1 and 3 (Paranormal Activities, Ghost and Apparition)

Peaceful old Lutong Airstrip in her operation days.

Location : Former SSB Lutong Airstrip

Date : 4^th Dec 2005, 27^th Oct and 19 Nov 2006

Methodology : Interviews, site visit and data collecting.

Accessibility : 15 minutes by vehicles from Lutong Town. Located 20-35 meters from beach

ParaCrypt RSG on field: Fadlee (Katana), Ezan (BlackPenguin)

Location brief background

Own by Sarawak Shell Berhad and closed for ops in mid 90’s. Claimed to be haunted by ghost of WW2 Japanese soldiers and a ghost of woman in white. Mysterious sounds and events reported by the SSB Auxiliary Police around the area during her operation day and somewhere around 2004-2006

Current photo of the airstrip. Once where the Control Tower was standing. Several claims from the SSB Auxiliary Police veterans claiming they hearing footsteps from inside of the building after office hours and sound of Japs talking and marching near the compound. Worst case reported was some Auxiliary Police personel run away to the Main Office Gate 9 few kilometres away from Lutong Airstrip in the middle of the night after their guard house being shake continously by unknown forces and hearing scraches from the roof and doors.

Anderson Bridge-Named after Mr Anderson, Former SSB ED. 'Lady in White' favourite spot during night time

Entrance to the Car Park

View from another angle of the car park.

Investigation Report:

• Airport buildings have been demolished and only left today was the old airstrip
• A ‘broken car’ spot during night time and drag/sprint test for car and morobike during the weekend
• There's several reports which mentioning bout fatal accident occured due to the illegal racing.
  
• Several trips and field research have been carried out by T leader and volunteers, only 2 case of unidentified mist and blur apparition near the airstrip.
• Favorite dumping area at the end of the airstrip.
• Observation nearly about 6 hours starting 9pm-3 am have been carried out with minor results.
• Interviews with locals and former SSB employees have been done. 60% reliable source.

Open file status and further research will be carry out in future due to illegal racing activities during the weekend.

Makam Keramat Field Report

Research/Study Case Type 2 (Myth and Legends)


Location : Kpg Kubur Keramat 2, Jln Kpg Tudan Phase 2 Miri

Date : 19 January 2007

Methodology : Interviews, site visit and data collecting.

Walking Distance and accessibility : Motorbike and 25 minutes by foot. Located 10-15 meters from small creek/stream.

ParaCrypt RSG member on field- Ezan (BlackPenguin), Sa-ed Firdaus (Abg ED), Fadlee (Katana)

Legend's background

Based on the local stories, the mysterious tomb was belong to a man believed to be a Saint named ‘Syarif’ or ‘Sheikh’ who was traveling from Brunei during the reign of Bruneian Sultanate over Borneo hundreds of years ago. The saint was believed to travel by foot and small ‘sampan’- traditional small malay boat- to Miri in order to trade goods and spreading Islamic teaching. When he stops to perform his Asar prayer near the bank of River Baram, he was murdered by local head hunter’s tribe and his head was chopped off. The place where he was murdered later marked by local with a tomb-like monument in Kuala Baram as a remembrance of his tragic death. (In those early days, Ngayau or head hunting was a common practice among the tribes until it was banned and stopped during the ‘White Rajah’ the British rulers over Sarawak- James Brooke Johnson, Charles Brooke and Charles Vyner Brooke in late 1700’s). According to the story which was told generation to generation, after he was killed by the local tribe, his head was carried back to the longhouse and before they begin their journey, they roasted his head to avoid it from rotten since the walking distance might takes nearly one or two days. The group later continues their journey along with other human heads which their collected during ngayau until they reach a place near an old tree where finally they left the saint’s head behind after mysteriously became heavier than the other heads which they were carrying. According to legend, his hedless body floats and drifted along the Miri River from the place hi was killed and later into the Lutong River and small streams until finally reaches the place where his remain head were left by the tribes. And because of his piousness and devotion, his head and his body mysteriously entombed by itself in the place where the nowadays tomb was located.

View of the location

The small river

Broken bridge

The walking path

ParaCrypt RSG member (Abg ED) examine the tombstone

Unfortunately, no hard evidence of who marks the grave and placing the carved tombstone on the grave, since based on local legend it was happened few hundred years ago and the area was covered with thick forest and it was only cleared in late 1990's for settlement by local and later by government. Eventhough there's no hard evidence of the truth behind the legends, the tomb continously visited by local people sometimes from outside the city to pay their offering and a place to grant their wishes based on the candle marks and the yellow cloths which wrapping the tombstone.

Rectangular shape stone believed to be the stoned artifact

The local also claims that before the tomb known to outsiders, on the grave and near the tombstone lays the belonging of the saint which was turned to stone. The artifact was a Holy Quran, Quran wooden stand (Raihal), his prayer beads or ‘Tasbih’, his head cover- songkok- his prayer’s mat, and his wooden beetle nut’s box. This entire artifact mysteriously turned to stone and according to one of the source, they even confirmed it genuinity after carefully examine the items. Unfortunately, all the artifacts are now missing except his ‘songkok’ or some says his wooden beetle nut’s box which was still can be barely seen next to the tombstone.

The 'songkok' or 'beetlenut box'. The stone seems to be nicely carved/shaped and 4"x8"inch in size

There’s also believed to be unexplained incident happened near the tomb which was told to the ParaCrypt RSG investigator which is, long time ago whenever the local buried their families near the tomb area, the earth ground and their grave mark mysteriously covered with something similar to dog’s fur. And every grave was affected except the saint’s tomb. And also some witness reports that when there’s bush fire few years ago, the tomb never touched by the flame. (Perhaps the cause of this incidents, the tomb marking itself made from stone and tomb's earth was covered with pebbles which is suspected to be placed by visitors or locals from streams since the nearby river was located in a swampy area and hardly to find the same kind of pebbles used for the tomb covering) How far was the claims to be true are still questionable by researcher like us.

Upon arival at the site which took about 30 minutes walk from the nearest village located in Tudan, Miri Sarawak, research team straightly recording every data available and doing close observation and investigation on the grave sites and what the team's found was:

· Marks of candles left by visitor .

· A rectangle shape stone near the headstone and writings on the tombstone was in Arabic.

Arabic carved tombstone. Based on our research, carved creek/river stone as a burial marking was a common practice besides decorated wooden planks by local Mirian back in late 1800 to 1930's. The similar carved tombstone can be found at Sungai Baong Muslim Cemetary and some of the tombstone in the area dated back as early as 1900 and mostly belongs to Pakistani/Indian Muslim traders and Bruneian.

· Also several old grave which belongs to Kedayan ethnic with old grave marks. Latest gravemarks was 1977 and since then no other new gravemarks in the area.

Carved wooden grave mark dated back in 1977 or 1976

Unmark tombstone. (Please note the dark colored soil)

· The cemetery was abandoned many years ago due to a new and better burial area in Kpg Batu Satu ( about 4-6 km from Kpg Makam Keramat) and the early settlers of the area most of them already passed a long time ago and their heritage was unknown.

· Locals reports of seeing some Indonesian people often going to the tomb during night time especially on Friday- believed to be doing some ritual on the grave.

Based on our background research of the tomb, there's no hard evidence of who placed the carved headstone on the grave due to physical history of the area. ( Area was thick forest until early 1900 and late 1990’s) Since during the evens no evidence of witnesses only tall tales passed from generation to generation. Only weak verbal evidence of early settlers who found the grave during clearing. About the square grave marking which believed to be the 'songkok' or 'beetle nut box', further investigation on old culture was done by Katana and in his report, he mention about old fashioned land marking by using stone or similar to mark their ownership of the land. Since during that period, no advance measurements such as measuring tapes or etc, so the old fashioned way during the era was rocks or carved stone. Perhaps this square shaped which claimed to be the tombstone was allegedly an old abondaned land marking left by the owner either becouse of their death or other logical cause. During the field investigation, the team also try to trace any unsimilarity of the earth layer since there's a report of the earth turn to furry like ground. Perhaps this can be explained by science. Due to the location of the area is very near to the small creek, and perhaps the actual 'fur' was a type of dark color algae or moss since during our walk to the location, there's some area covered with moss and algae and some of it was dark colored type and looks like a dog fur in a first glance. Unfortunately, it's our mistake for not taking the photo of the dark colored moss. Perhaps this plant was mistakenly thought as 'fur' by people of that time. And according to the stories, the 'fur' covered the gravemark except the Saint's. Either it's true or not, perhaps some of this moss photo (which we find online and little bit similar to the moss which we saw and the only difference was the color) can be used as reference to show how and kind of surface which mostly algae or moss can be easily found.

A sample of dog-like-fur moss

Example of dark color algae and moss


End of Field Report.

Report done by Fadlee and Ezan

ParaCrypt Research and Study Group