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THERE is no archaeological evidence or historical records that show that the ancient Roman civilization learned shipbuilding techniques from the Malays.
An expert in the History of Malay Technology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Professor Emeritus Datuk Ir Dr Wan Ramli Wan Daud said that the similarities between the shipbuilding methods of the Romans and the Malays were just a coincidence and not the result of direct influence or technological exchange.
According to him, it is true that the ancient Romans used to build ships almost the same way as the Malays, namely building the hull first before making the kun or kung (frame) and the hull boards were fastened using wooden pegs.
"However, after the first century AD, the Romans switched to building the hull first before building the hull of the ship.
"In fact, most other ancient peoples such as the Vikings and Phoenicians also used the same method, which was to make the hull of the ship first and tie it with wooden pegs," he said as reported by Sinar Harian.
Earlier, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) lecturer, Professor Dr Solehah Yaacob claimed that the shipbuilding techniques of the ancient Roman civilization were believed to have been learned from Malay sailors.
Solehah said that Malay expertise in maritime and shipbuilding began since the era of the Funan kingdom and developed rapidly in the Malay world, before influencing foreign civilizations including ancient Rome.
According to her, the Phoenician influence also led to the development of maritime technology in the archipelago, especially in terms of shipbuilding skills.
Commenting further, Wan Ramli said that there is no evidence that these races were taught by the Malays in shipbuilding, rather the similarity is more accurately considered to be the result of 'multiple discoveries' or 'simultaneous creation'.
"This phenomenon shows that technological development does not necessarily stem from one particular culture, but can instead occur simultaneously when humans face similar needs and environmental conditions," he said.
He added that the method of making the hull first and fastening it with wooden pegs before building the frame is one of the best examples of the phenomenon of 'simultaneous creation' recorded in the history of technology. - November 6, 2025
