Page 114 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Chapter 5. Unglazed, Slipped & Painted Wares in the Musi River
Figure 190. Kundika, spout broken, height 11.5 cm, possibly
‘Vajra ware’, from Musi River, Boom Baru site.
Catalogue No. K2665.
Figure 191. Kendi, finely levigated white fabric, height 17.8 cm,
filling neck broken, possibly ‘Vajra Ware’, from the
Musi River, Boom Baru site. Catalogue No. K2663. lace decorated ewers were produced in the Songkhla
raised above the shoulder. These were of moderate to
large size, generally well potted, with a fabric varying
from white, cream and grey, some had red or brown
slip or a combination of both and two with a dark olive
glaze, overall shape ranged from globose elongate with
a moderate pedestal foot (Figure 175); cylindrical with
a partial cone-shaped foot ring (Figure 176), widest at
the waist with a small pedestal foot (K1340), widest at
shoulder (K1337, K1609), globose flattened with either
a short foot (Figure 177), or tall foot (K2121, K2549).
This incised-lace decorated earthenware was
exogenous to Sumatra and Palembang. We searched the
literature and consulted widely to find similarly decorated
ware. This was in vain, although the decoration does
have characteristics of some Javanese bronzes (Professor
John Miksic, pers. comm.) and huge garden earthenware
vessel and jars (Figure 178 & Figure 179) made at Old
Banten Serang, West Java. Although we do not know the
age of these two Serang vessels they were most probably
19th century. Interestingly, the Old Banten Serang area
produced earthenware pottery since, and possibly prior
to, the arrival of Islam into Indonesia in the 15th century.
And that earthenware styles from the earlier Buddhist and
Hindu periods continued to be made there (Soegondho
Santoso 1991). There was a very active pottery centre at
Old Banten in the 16th century during the time of the
Sultanate of Banten (Maskur 2014). Later, Chinese potters
working in Serang, made large garden urns and jars in
the European style for wealthy Indonesian landlords,
affluent Dutch and Chinese people in Jakarta (www.
museumnasional.or.id/large-water-jar-298).
While it is possible that this ‘incised-lace’ earthenware
originated in the general area of old Banten, Serang, we
think this is unlikely for several reasons. First, their form
was unlike that of any Javanese ewers with which we were
familiar. Rather, they shared more affinities with those of
the Oc Eo culture or those from the Satingpra–Songkhla
Lake region. Secondly, they were usually made from
finely levigated white or cream clay which appeared
to be unavailable in the Serang area. Thirdly, a ewer
from the Musi, which was clearly part of this ware, was
photographed but not purchased (Figure 180). It had a
chocolate, rufus and green (probably Cadmium based)
slip over much of its body. This slip was applied at the
time of firing and was probably terra sigillata (Maurice
Sawyer, pers. comm.). We have not encountered the use
of terra sigillata in early-Javanese pottery. Lastly, two of the
ewers had a thin ‘celadon’ glaze (K2121, K2529) which
may have been ‘fly-ash’ glaze. But, whatever, such glazed
ewers have not been encountered by us in Java.
On the balance of evidence, we suggest that these fine
Lake/Satingpra Peninsula region, which was known to
have produced fine white kendis with red to brown slip
and exported them to Indonesia between the 10th to
12th century, and probably for some time thereafter.
However, if this ware was from that region then it is
likely that they were made after the 11th century because
glazes were not reported for pottery made in Peninsula
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