Page 76 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Chapter 4. Glazed Ceramics in the Musi River

Figure 79. Cups, white, pale-grey or olive celadon glaze, heights
6.1–7.3 cm, North Vietnam, late C13–early-C14, from
the Musi River, Boom Baru (1) and Pusri (3) sites.
Catalogue Nos K974, K1397, K1737, K2083.
Figure 76. Bowl, straw coloured glaze over incised cloud scroll,
diameter 13.7 cm, North Vietnam, C14–C15, from
the Musi River, Boom Baru/Pusri site. Catalogue
No. K2162.

Figure 80. Large Bowl, under-glaze cobalt blue cloud scroll below
upper rim and lotus panels around base, diameter
30.4 cm, North Vietnam, C15–C16, from the Musi
River, Sungai Rebo site (4km upstream at depth of
12m). Catalogue No. K2419.

it is the smooth grey-white clay from the Red River region,
Figure 77. Bowl, ivory glaze over band of wave scroll cut through used to make their pottery that is more diagnostic.
black slip to light coloured body, diameter 10.7 cm,
North Vietnam, Tran Dynasty, C13–C14, from the Lime pots are specifically a South East Asian design,
Musi River, Pusri site. Catalogue No. K2003. invented possibly as early as 2nd century, to hold powdered
lime to mix with areca nut and betel leaf to form a chewing
quid. They have a spiritual significance and were found in
most ancient households. The basic design is a bulbous
container with a flat knob for gripping, a round hole at
the shoulder, and a high foot. Under the Tran Dynasty
the foot became higher and the handle flatter (Truong in
Stevenson and Guy, 1997, Plate 423). Stevenson and Guy
(1997) stated that lime pots are not found in the ceramic
tradition of other countries and exported Vietnamese
examples have not been found. Several lime pots from
the Musi were collected (Figure 75). Two were from North
Vietnam (K1817, K2211, K2228); and a third (K2085),
with a taller foot and dark grey glaze on a pale purple
Figure 78. Bowl, row of bosses below upper rim, sgraffito broad body, possibly was from Central Vietnam (Cham).
and partly combed leafy pattern on outer body and
conch shell and flower pattern in well, body repaired, Stephenson and Guy (1997) refer to high-sided bowls,
diameter 16 cm, North Vietnam, Tran Dynasty, C13– either monochrome or decorated with a sketchily painted
C14, from the Musi River, Boom Baru site. Catalogue under-glaze decoration as unique to North Vietnam. He
No. K2365 suggests that they most closely resemble the Buddhist alms
bowl. They are known to have been exported. A number
of these bowls and beakers dated from the 13th–16th

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