The oldest surviving map of anywhere in the eastern world, dating from about 900 BCE, has been unearthed in a cave in Southern Doebi. Known as the Siduk Map, the depiction of much of coastal Southeast Asia, is on a piece of enameled teak wood roughly two feet by one foot in size. Forms of landmasses and continents are carved into the wood, with some areas showing reminents of colored varnish or enamel to signify control over an area.

It was found in a dig led by the Neren archaeologist Katagir harana Qiowanggiyan, a professor at the University of Telgi Katak Biko, two years ago, but its existence was kept secret until more research was carried out.

"The map offers, to date, for Doebi and more generally for eastern civilisation, the oldest surviving map of a real space," the university said recently.

Some remaining carved names have survived on the map, written in old Suhendran script, including names of different seas and nations controlling different areas. The focus on naming nations, as opposed to geographical areas or towns and cities, would seem to suggest a focus on tracking the borders of these early states and empires, as opposed to recording more permanent structures and locations.

The map went on public display for the first time this week in the Archaeological National Museum of Kuching.

It was known from ancient Kulawantine literature that the concept of a map existed and that some had been drawn but none had been found intact before.

The ancient Chinese had a well-defined system of map-making, but modern cartography is believed to descend from techniques laid down by these ancient Vüolt.

Experts have suggested that the discovery demands not only a reconsideration of the beginnings of ancient cartography, but also of regional history, in particular that of relations between the local population of the Southeast Asian tribes and nations with their neighbours, the Vüolt. It seems telling that the only regions to have reminents of colored enamel are major trading partners of the First Vüolt Empire.

The Siduk map is a contemporary of the Vüolt mathematician Tirto, who set up a philosophy school in Sarikei, across the bay from Kuching.

His hypothesis that the Earth was round, developed after observing that the height of stars was different at different locations and noticing how ships appeared on the horizon, formed the basis of modern map making.