The Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery (GKAG) is an archaeological site located in Kepala Batas, Seberang Perai Utara, Penang, with a total area of 2.39 acres as a heritage site under the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645) on 21st April 2025. It preserves an in-situ shell midden estimated to be between 4,000 and 6,000 years old.The earliest archaeological records from Guar Kepah date back to the 1850s, when British officer George Winsor Earl first documented the site. His work led to the discovery of 41 human skeletal remains, which are currently housed in Leiden, the Netherlands. In 1860, a ...
In 2017, an almost intact human skeleton—radiocarbon dated to approximately 5,710 ± 30 years before present (BP)—was discovered at the Guar Kepah site. The remains, belonging to a woman, were later named "Penang Woman (GKph 2017)." She is currently housed at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) Pusat Penyelidikan Arkeologi Global (PPAG) and is scheduled to be displayed at the Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery (GKAG) by the end of 2024. Following this significant discovery, the development of GKAG was initiated through a strategic collaboration involving the Penang State Government, Chief Minister...
The building emphasizes energy efficiency, resource conservation, and a reduced carbon footprint. The design integrates natural lighting and ventilation to lower energy consumption, while incorporating reused materials, such as seashells found on site, along with eco-friendly construction practices, to minimise environmental degradation. Water conservation measures are also a key feature of the design, with the nearby paddy field using underground water for irrigation, thereby reducing the need for potable water. In addition, the building incorporates native and adaptive plant species to prese...
