Journeying through Time: Exploring the 19th Century Old Transportation Legacy of Weld Quay, Malaysia

Abstract

Cultural heritage is an extensive body of knowledge that encapsulates the historical and cultural context of a site’s creation and its present actualisation. While existing studies have defined traditional transportation, they have also recognised its importance as both tangible and intangible heritage, leading international organisations to advocate for its preservation. The tangible aspects pertain to the physical artefacts of the transportation vehicles, and intangible aspects refer to the cultural and historical context in which the transportation artefacts were used. In this study, we aim to explore the anthropological aspects of digitally preserving the historical and cultural context of significant transportation in a multi-cultural trading port. Primary sources were gathered through narrative interviews with individuals who have knowledge of the old transportation situations in Weld Quay, a cultural heritage centre from the 19th century. Secondary sources, including relevant and appropriate visual materials, were also analysed to discover information on the transportation situations. The findings of this study were synthesised through photorealistic visualisations of the artefacts’ forms to effectively convey information based on the comparative, textual, and visual data collected. Our research demonstrates the importance of transportation heritage and its potential to raise awareness among Penang communities of their living heritage. Our conclusion highlights the significance of digitally preserving transportation heritage to ensure its preservation for future generations.