Page 148 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Chapter 7. Summary and Conclusions

Recommencement of this trade was initiated by the Thai
Portuguese and Spaniards and then at the start of the Thai glazed ceramics from the 14th to 17th century
17th century by the Dutch. Prior to the Dutch East India in the Musi were mostly from the Central Thailand Si
Company move to Batavia in 1619, Chinese porcelain that Satchanalai and Sukhothai kilns from the 14th to the
arrived in Palembang was likely delivered directly there 16th century. The Si Satchanalai wares comprised a wide
by Chinese merchants. However, when The Company range of forms typical of those exported to other South
moved to Batavia it apparently sent ceramics directly to East Asian countries, while those from Sukhothai kilns
Palembang from Batavia, especially during the Wanli were limited to plates and bowls with under-glaze iron
emperor’s reign. Although, it appears that these were painted patterns.
probably wares of lower quality unsuited for European
markets. Burma & Khmer
A variety of attractive Chinese sancai glazed figurines, Burmese and Khmer glazed ceramics were rarely collected
toys, brush washers, inkwells and miniature water by us and were limited to several storage jars (see later),
droppers were found from the Song Dynasty through to and one small Khmer kendi and bottle.
the late-Qing Dynasty. These were difficult to attribute
to a particular period and allocation of some of them Middle East
to the Song and Yuan Dynasties was tentative. However, Considering the important role played by Arab traders
it was clear that they were favoured items of trade at and Arab ships and crew in the international maritime
Palembang, even up to the early-19th century, when trade which involved Palembang, especially during the
some figurines and toys were attributed to the Shiwan Tang and Five Dynasties period, it was somewhat surprising
and other kilns in Guangdong. that only a handful of ceramic items of Middle East origin
were found in the Musi. These included a ‘frit’ ware bottle,
North Vietnam a ‘lustre’ ware bowl and several small vases, all of which
North Vietnamese glazed ceramics from the Musi were probably 10th century. These items were probably
included a limited range of late-13th and 14th century owned by the Arab crew of boats and were not trade items.
monochrome bowls and basins from the Tran Dynasty.
They were frequently decorated with incised cloud German
patterns, including sgraffito, and Buddhist bosses. (Tran The only European ceramic from the Musi was a stoneware
Dynasty ceramics were not common in other Indonesian jug produced in the German Westerwald area. This could
archaeological sites.) Later 14th century apple-green, be 15th century or modern.
straw, and ivory glazed bowls with impressed floral and
other patterns inside, were more common in our Musi Unglazed Earthenware & Stoneware
collection, as were under-glaze iron brown decorated Philippines
bowls, jars and jarlets from the Hanoi kilns dated from Perhaps the most interesting and intriguing Musi ceramic
the 14th to 15th century. Most common were the slightly finds were the 435 unglazed (including slip or painted)
later under-glaze cobalt blue decorated bowls, jars, jarlets, earthen and stonewares. The earliest of these were
medicine bottles, lidded boxes and animal figurine toys. probably several pieces decorated in the Kalanay style,
Both iron and cobalt under-glaze wares were commonly and which were probably made in Central Philippines
found elsewhere in Indonesia. sometime between 400 BC and 200 AD.

Cham Pre Tang
Cham glazed ceramics from the 14th and 15th century Several tubular style earthenware animal figurines were
appeared to be moderately abundant in the Musi. This suggestive of Western Han Dynasty figurines, but they
was something of a surprise because Cham ware was may have been more recent.
not commonly reported from other sites in Indonesia.
Although other experts considered they were probably Oc Eo style
more common than supposed but were often miss- Funan and the ‘Oc Eo’ culture, which may have begun
identified as South China Fujian ware from the same in the late-1st millennium BC, began to crumble as a
period. Cham ware in the Musi appeared dominated cultural entity in the 6th century. The presence of Oc
by shallow bluish celadon bowls with an un-glazed ring Eo type pottery in the Musi at a number of Palembang
around the inner well. But also found were cups, bowls, river sites (Boom Baru, Pusri, Batu Ampar and Sungai
basins, jars and jarlets with a honey-brown glaze and a Rebo), suggested that Funan did not just trade with both
single vase, decorated with reddish-brown glaze on the the KoYing and Kantoli polities along the coastal stretch
biscuit. Also, possibly produced by the Cham, were small at the mouth of the Musi River. But also along its entire
basins thought to have been mainly exported to Japan fairway up to the upper reaches as far as Palembang. And
for use in tea ceremonies and generally called Namban that it utilised trading centres at Palembang at the same
or ‘southern barbarian ware’, and referred to specifically places as those used throughout the period from the 8th
by the Japanese as sudare, or reed blind vessels. to 19th century.

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