Page 116 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Chapter 5. Unglazed, Slipped & Painted Wares in the Musi River

190), kendis, comprising K1013, K1250, K1447, K2663
(Figure 191), narrow necked bottles (K1084, K2167) and
a double gourd vase (K2362).
‘Vajra’ ware from the Musi were predominately found
at the Sungai Rebo site. A total of 42 per cent of the 38
items with recorded site information were from Sungai
Rebo. Then, in order of abundance, Pusri (32%), Boom
Baru (24%) and Sungai Guci (<3%).

Origin and period of ‘Vajra’ wares
The possible Vajrayana Buddhist nature of ‘Vajra Ware’
and general absence of decorated examples of this
ware from elsewhere in Indonesia or at other reported
international kiln sites, suggested that it may have been
made specifically for the large Mahayana Buddhist
monastic and general community at Palembang. This Figure 194. Bowl, roulette/chattering triangular marks on neck
and shoulder carinations, height 12.5 cm, diameter
monastery, first recorded at Palembang in 671 by the 18.6 cm, India, Medieval Period, probably C11, from
Chinese monk Yijing, had a population at that time of the Musi River, Sungai Rebo. Catalogue No 2306.
some 1000 monks and was under the patronage of the
King of Sriwijaya. Just how long this community had been In this period the production of ‘Vajra Ware’ can
in the Musi River Basin prior to 671 was not known but perhaps be more closely defined because of the presence
it may well have pre-dated establishment of the Sriwijaya of four kundika-type kendis, which we associate with
Kingdom by many years. Mahayana Buddhism had its ‘Vajra’ Ware. Kundikas, which were derived from Indian
origins in southern India in the 3rd century BC. It arrived pottery in the last centuries BC, were used as sprinklers
in Indonesia around the 2nd century on the evidence of in both Buddhist and Hindu religious ceremonies. In
dated Buddhist stupas in Karawang, West Java. Presumably, South East Asia kundikas have been found at the Winka
it was carried to Indonesia by traders travelling the Mon site on the Tanasserim coast, Daravati sites in Central
Maritime Silk Road from India. As noted earlier (Chapter Thailand, Oc Eo sites in South and Central Vietnam, and
4), Mahayana Buddhists from Gandhara in South India in Central Java (at the 9th century Borobudur Mahayana
established the Kantoli polity in the 4th century, which Buddhism Temple). Glazed Chinese kundika were also
probably morphed into Sriwijaya. By the time Yijing’s produced during the Chinese Tang and Northern Song
arrived at Palembang, Mahayana Buddhism had already Dynasties (Rooney 2003). Further, Bellina and Glover
spread through many Indonesian islands. Further, to (2004) state that kundikas became rare in South East
establish a monastery of this size, which was the centre Asia after the 6th and 7th centuries. This would suggest
of Mahayana Buddhism in Indonesia, would take a long that ‘Vajra Ware’ was produced during the early to mid
time, perhaps hundreds of years. As noted in Chapter 4, period of Vajrayana Buddhism presence in Indonesia.
Hinayana Buddhists occupied Palembang and upstream The fine white fabric of some of the red and red-brown
regions of the Musi River Basin from the late-6th century. It slipped ‘Vajra’ ware also provide an indication of its
is, then, reasonable to suggest that the centre of Mahayana origins. Such fine ware is known to have been produced
Buddhism had in fact been established downstream of in the general area of coastal peninsular South Thailand
Palembang by Buddhists from Gandhara in the late-4th Songkhla Lake area, particularly around the Satingpra
century, during the formation of the Kantoli polity. And Peninsula, from the 10th–12th century or later. But that
that this centre quickly moved upstream after the Sailendra both the red slip decoration and the introduction of glaze
Mahayana Buddhists returned and established Sriwijaya in the region occurred later, around the 12th century.
at Palembang in 671. Presumably, the Sailendras swiftly Our collection has two examples of Vajra Ware that
relocated its religious centre upstream to Palembang, were purchased in 2010 in Jakarta from an antique dealer
perhaps bolstered by converts from Hinayana Buddhists. who collected them himself on the ocean floor near the
And remained there throughout the Sriwijaya Kingdom site of the 10th century Cirebon shipwreck, shortly after
until the 13th century. the completion of the salvage of that wreck cargo. Further,
Vajrayana Buddhism (also known as Tantric Buddhism we recently sighted an image of a terracotta jar from
or Esoteric Buddhism) grew out of Mahayana Buddhism the Cirebon wreck shared with us by a highly respected
in India during the 6th–7th century. It is known to have collector, which was almost identical to a red slipped jar
arrived in China via the Silk Road during the first half with sgraffito ‘Vajra’ pattern from the Musi (K1497).
of the 7th century, where it was sanctioned by the Tang In summary, the origin of ‘Vajra Ware’ is likely to be
Emperors. It was in Sumatra and Java in the late-8th century Peninsular Thailand, but could also be China. It was likely
and continued until late-13th–early-14th century, when it produced over a long period of time. With plain and
was eclipsed by Islam. If Vajra Ware’ was produced for the slipped examples possibly from the 10th–12th century
Vajrayana community in Palembang, it would have been and fly-ash celadon glazed pieces later, perhaps during
sometime between the late-8th to the 13th or 14th century.

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