Page 24 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

CHAPTER 2. GEOGRAPHY & PAST SETTLEMENTS IN THE MUSI RIVER BASIN

THE MUSI RIVER FAIRWAY Wolter (1979) considered that the scene near
The Musi River is located in southern Sumatra, Indonesia. Palembang in earlier times probably resembled a large
It is 750 kms long flowing from the Barisan Mountains to lake with numerous and ever growing islands. The
the Bangka Strait in a south-west to north-east direction landscape would have been dominated by the laterite
and drains most of South Sumatra Province. After flowing peninsula behind the northern bank of the Musi River.
through Palembang, the ancient capital of Sriwijaya, which The memory of the islands is preserved today in the
lies 90 km up the Musi River, it joins with several other expression ‘Thousand Islands’ (Pulau Seribu) to refer
rivers, including the Banyuasin River, to form a delta near to the southern bank opposite Palembang city. He feels
the village of Sungsang. It is about a kilometre wide at that the search for ancient artefacts near Palembang
Palembang (Figure 3). has to take into account the location of older mud
The alluvial plains deposited by the Musi River begin deposits some distance behind the present shorelines
at Muara Kelingi, some 200 km inland from the Bangka of the river. As confirmation, he noted that as long ago
Strait. These deposits are mostly volcanic and derived as 1781, Radermacher remarked that not only was the
from Mt Kaba in Lebong Regency and Mt Dempo which Palembang coastline increasing ‘day by day’ but that
arises from the Pasemah Plains. These Plains are both even above Palembang those who dug deep into the
the most fertile and densely populated lowlands in South soil often found shells and pieces of vessels and prows.
Sumatra, particularly immediately south of Palembang Today, Sungei Tatang is a very small deltaic creek on the
along the banks of the Lematang and Ogan tributaries. northern shore of the Musi River, several kilometres to
The boundaries between the lowland and highland the south of Bukit Seguntang and connected to Sungei
peoples in this River Basin are clearly marked by river Kedukan Bukit creek. The latter is in the vicinity of sites
gradients. Edwards McKinnon (1982) notes that upland where various antiquities from the Palembang Buddhist
regions of Sumatra have been honeycombed by trails past have accidentally come to light over the years. The
linking one valley or river basin with another for millennia. Sejarah Melayu suggest that it was once an important
Consequently, the Musi River and its tributaries provided stream, and this suspicion is strengthened when we
an extensive system of natural navigable waterways that note that Leidekkerf’s manuscript gives ‘Tatoeng’ as
connected readily with the Straits of Malacca. Wolters the name of the Palembang River, with the name Musi
(1979) reported that heavy sedimentation in the Musi restricted to the upper reaches.
River during the rainy season, has enlarged and shifted its
banks over time. However , the overall course and probably PAST SETTLEMENTS IN THE MUSI RIVER BASIN
fairway of the river have not changed substantially since Ancient Associations
the Sriwijaya period. As noted by Miksic (1985), boats of The Musi River was a major artery of commerce for 2,000
100 ton can reach Palembang some 90 km up-stream. years (Miksic 1985) and probably much longer than that.
These rivers only become difficult to navigate when the The first mention of this general area was by the Chinese
lowlands transitions to the highlands. However, boats less in the 2nd century BC when they referred to a ‘Western
than 20 ton can reach Muara Kelinci during all seasons. Queen Mother’ who lived in the ‘K’un-lun mountains’
During the rainy season boats of up to 5 tons can travel (probably Bukit Barisan) and who traded in twelve kinds
50 km further and reach Sungai Naik. The Ogan and of perfumes (Wolters 1967: 98).
Komering Rivers can be reached from near Palembang. Singleton (1998) researched the history of the
Edwards McKinnon (1985) notes that Bingin Jungun, Talak Mamak tribe that occupied the hinterland in the
which occupies a strategic point at a bend in the river, Sumatran Inderagiri River Basin. He speculated that
is said formerly to have been the head of navigation for the mountainous interior of Sumatra was probably first
larger vessels on the Musi River, due to the presence of explored by Indian-influenced Thais and Myanmarese
a cataract. (from Burma) who probably entered the Minangkabau
The village of Sungsang on the lower estuary of the highlands from the west coast of Sumatra. These inland
Musi River, 5 km from the mouth, has probably existed populations, who by about 500 had become known as
there a very long time. Its villagers are reported to have Melayu, traded via the west coast. He painted a picture of an
guarded the mouth of the River; monitored shipping that early hinterland social and trading landscape dominated
enters the river system and reported news to upstream by local communities influenced by Hinayana Buddhism.
centres. Wolters (1979) collected artefacts at Sungsang, These communities were probably interconnected across
including pottery shards of mainly 19th century Dutch the highlands by walking paths between the Musi River,
and Chinese ware, but also a few pieces of late-Ming Batang Hari River and Inderagiri River Basins for the
Ware (Wanli period, 1572–1620) and Northern Thai purpose of trading gold, aromatics and Benzoin. During
Sawankhalok Ware 14th to 16th century. He considered the Sriwijayan period one of the principle exports from
that the village had existed at, or close to, its current site Palembang was benzoin, which grew in close vicinity to
since at least the 14th century. Palembang (Manguin 2009). However, it is likely that