Page 27 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Ceramics from the Musi River

was a fort or moat, which was dated to the 6th century.
Mahmud Badaruddin Museum and around Candi
Angsoka yielded 10,000 imported and 38,000 local These were part of a long chain of Vaishnava settlements
ceramic shards. Chinese ceramics in these collections distributed from the Mekong Delta to the Thai–Malay
were dated to the 8th to 19th century, one-third of Peninsula to Sumatra and Cibuaya in west Java. It must
which were from the Sriwijayan period. Manguin (1993) have been associated with merchant communities and
concluded that the ceramic assemblage at Palembang was captured by Sriwijaya in 686 (Manguin 2009, 2017).
from the early-Sriwijaya period (Late-Tang) was
surprisingly homogeneous and comprised only proto- Karangagung and Air Sugihan
celadon stoneware from Guangdong kilns. He records These settlements on the lowland coastal sands
no other better quality 9th century Chinese wares, not between the Musi and Batanghari Rivers were
one Changsha ware and practically no white wares. He extensive and probably part of a series of 40 known
ascribes all the celadon Yue ware found at Palembang to settlements along the coast and ancient river courses
the Five Dynasties period. He also notes the absence of (Many of these ancient sites are now drained by
Xicun wares which are often found alongside Yue ware modern settlers.) These settlements were probably
in Kalimantan and the Philippines. He offers several part of a port that may have been active as early as
possible explanations for the lack of other common the 1st century. Extensive excavation of Karangagung
Tang Dynasty wares which are moot because they have Tengah by Balai Arkeologi Palembang staff from 2000
now appeared from the beneath the Musi River and are to 2005; and Air Sugihan by Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi
illustrated in this book. Nasional since 1990 have been summarised by Manguin
More recently a number of ceramics have been (2004), Manguin (2009), Sofian (2016) and Anon
excavated by staff of the Palembang Archaeological (2016). Although much has been looted from these
Institute in the general area of the Palembang City and sites, excavations provided new information on both
on both upstream and downstream sites. Additionally, pre-Sriwijayan and Sriwijayan commercial activity.
a number of private collections, some of which are Artefacts from Karangagung Tengah included: wooden
still kept in Palembang, were made of such ceramics, house support pillars; bones; teeth; shells; bronze,
particularly from the area now defined by the boundary earthenware vessels shards; thousands of beads made
of fertilizer factory (PT Pupuk Indonesia) which lay from carnelian, crystal and agate of Indian origin,
on lands that were occupied by ancient buildings and earthenware and glass, some with gold in-closures
cemeteries, at least as early as the 8th century. Most of reckoned to be from Constantinople (capital city
these finds have not been illustrated although several of the Roman–Byzantine Empire founded in 330);
objects, including both a Han Dynasty piece (considered gold rings; ear rings; wet-stones, coconut shells and a
by Miksic 2017, to have not been found in Indonesia) Chinese Sui Dynasty ceramics (6th to 7th century) on
and a beautiful Tang Dynasty Ewer from Palembang, display in the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin 11 Museum,
are in the Catalogue of the National Museum, Jakarta. Palembang. The local pottery assemblage was similar
Further, a Sui Dynasty chicken head Ewer (589–617) to that found in comparable coastal Indonesian sites;
was on display in the Taman Purbakala Kerajaan namely coarse cord-impressed with some finer ware
Sriwijaya, Palembang. Further, Koh (see References) with incised or punctate decorations, including tall
also illustrates a range of Yue Ware and Tang Dynasty necked kendis with red polished slip. At Air Sugihan,
plates collected from the Musi River. numerous beads were also found but not as varied as
those from Karangagung, these were of Egyptian or
LOWER MUSI RIVER AND BANGKA ISLAND Middle East origin and were dated from C4–C11; iron
SETTLEMENTS objects; Sui, Tang and Song Dynasty ceramics and
It is clear from the ceramic shards and other archaeological coins of unknown origin were found. Some intaglios,
finds that the lower reaches of the Musi River below carved semi-precious stone featuring images of a hamsa
Palembang and Bangka Island were also settled during (goose) or a cakra (a Buddhist wheel associated with
the early-1st millennium to mid-2nd millennium. In the Buddhist and Vishnu religions) were also found
addition to known sites on Bangka Island, Karangagung, in the region. Additionally, parts of ancient seagoing
Air Sugihan and Upang, ceramics from the southern Song vessels have also been uncovered in the area, including
Dynasty and from 14th and 15th century Sawankhalok a boat rudder 287 cm long with handles 9–11 cm. It is
periods are illustrated here from Pulau Kemaro, Sungai thought that sewn-plank cargo boats up to fifty metres
Bunyut, Sungai Gerong, Salanamo, in front of the PT long were being built in Indonesia as far back as the
Sharp factory, Buntut Burung and Parit 12 (Figure 4 on early centuries as the 1st millennium. The beads and
page 9). iron artefacts are similar to those found at Oc Eo, one
of the principle sites of the supposed capital of Funan.
Candi Kota Kapur The boat type and trade coins speak to considerable
This Candi on Bangka Island at the mouth of the Musi River maritime trade with Funan, China, India and the
was Hindu. It had two small temples and four stone statues Middle East. Air Sugihan, a short river and its many
which dated to late-6th or early-7th centuries, three were tributaries flowing into the Bangka Strait, appeared
Hindu and belonged to the Vaishnava cult. Also present to be the most important settlement areas.

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