Page 128 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

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

reputed to have come from Bajawa, Central Flores Island
(Figure 209).
Another unusual small stand had four’ knobs’ (Figure
211) and was decorated with vertical incised lines and
impressed open circles and was similar to one from the
Islamic Banten Site, West Java, described by Soegondho
(1985, Photo 107). Being decorated, it may have been
used for some more ceremonial purpose or for cooking
medicines.
A few more recent pieces from Banten Province, West
Java, were probably from Kecamatan Ciruas in Serang.
These included the kendis K1401, K1659 & K2188, all
shown in Figure 212; and possibly a stove (K1211).
Figurines of unknown origin
Figurines from the Musi in this section are of unknown origin
and date. Some may be ‘Lampung ware’, others are probably
Figure 230. Bowl, impressed sloping lines of dots separated by exogenous to southern Sumatra, perhaps originating in
band of incised lines around shoulder and neck,
height 8.6 cm.%North Central Thailand. C14–C17, Java. Below are some observations which may guide their
from the Musi River, Sungai Rebo site. Catalogue later determination.
No. K2279. A small group of ‘toy’ figurines were made of brittle
white clay in the form of a large-eyed sitting pigeon
comprised K1246, K1315, K1662–5 (Figure 213), the
former four had a distinct disc around the neck and one
had a disk also around an erect tail; the latter two pigeons
had a reddish-brown and dark grey slip or degraded paint
and were similar in form but without the distinct neck
collar. Other ‘toys’ were the dark grey slipped head of
an elephant which had a pad with a hole in it to hang it
on a wall (K2353), and a standing elephant (Figure 214).
The origin and date of these fragile white fabric figurines
is unknown although Maurice Sawyer (pers, comm.)
encountered similar clay near Desa Payakabung, Jalan
Lintas Tengah, some 25 km south west of Palembang,
in 1984 when assisting locals develop their pottery
techniques. A sheep figurine, which is missing most of
its legs (Figure 215), was reminiscent of Han Dynasty
farmyard animals.
There is also a group of mainly tubular shaped figurines
that may be of Chinese origin, and may be earlier than
the Tang Dynasty. These comprise a headless man sitting
on what appears to be a camel (Figure 216); a man,
possibly with a Chinese style hairline, seated on what is
probably a horse, but which is missing its head and most
of its legs (Figure 217); and a man seated at the prow of
a skiff (Figure 218).
There were also several single human figurines from
the Musi. They included the upper half of what appears
to be a joyous Chinese man dancing (Figure 219). It is
Figure 231. Tiles, impressed connected swastika pattern,
measurement 13.7 x 26.5 x 3.2 cm, possibly from a short stocky figure dressed in a thick tunic which has
Majapahit Java, C14–C15, from the Musi River, similarities to several Tang dynasty painted terracotta
Sungai Rebo. Catalogue No. K1112. dwarf figures shown in Schloss (1979), especially the
one with a thick tunic, dancing posture, tiny hands and
rims and moderate length slightly upturned spouts. One a cloth cap. Adelson (2005) writes that dwarfs were
of these had additional impressed circles with central popular in some Chinese palaces, especially during the
dot around the shoulder and no foot ring (K2009), the Tang Dynasty, where they were brought from all parts of
other with a tall wide foot ring (K2010). These were the Asia, some as slaves, others as servants and entertainers.
only two kendis of this form encountered. They were The Emperor Wu Ti (502–550) employed dwarfs in his
similar in their potting, fabric and decoration to a bottle palace as servants or entertainers from the several hundred

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