Page 90 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Chapter 4. Glazed Ceramics in the Musi River

Vietnam; and in the late-14th to 15th century a wide variety
of Si Satchanalai celadon, brown and white glazed ware.
During the 14th to 18th century, Phatthalung, especially
the sites of Bang Kaeo in Khao Chai Son and Chai Buri in
Mueang district, was the most important southern Thai port
town under the Ayutthaya Kingdom (rather than Satingpra)
(Piyakul 2014, 2015).
Thai glazed ceramics from the Musi were predominately
found at the Boom Baru site. A total of 42 per cent of the
59 items with recorded site information were from that site.
Then, in order of abundance, Pusri (34%), Batu Ampar
(19%), Sungai Rebo (3%) and Sungai Guci (<2%).

MIDDLE EAST
Arab dhows were the major trans-Asia trading vessels
navigating the Musi River prior to the Chinese Song period.
Despite this, few Arab ceramics were found in South East
Asia outside of Barus, North Sumatra, where 1,000 shards
of pottery from the Persian Gulf were found and dated to
the mid-9th to early-10th century. They comprised jars and
pots from Siraf (Perret & Sujeng Riyanto 1998; Guillot et al.
2003). Even the Intan Shipwreck off Belitung Island, which
was an Arab dhow, had only a few Middle East ceramics on
board which were thought to have been possessions of the
Arab crew.
According to Miksic (2009) lustre ware from Persian
Gulf regions was found at Palembang. We sighted only a
single example, a bowl, from the Musi (Figure 121). Other
items attributed to the Middle East were several small vases
comprising K755, K821, K1627 (Figure 122), a small ‘frit
Figure 127. Jug, blue wash, decorated with moulded stylised ware’ bottle (Figure 123), and an unidentified long tubular
flowers and leaves, upper neck and handle
reconstructed, height 15 cm, German, Westerwald object which had a hole at each end (Figure 124). Two
stoneware pewter mounted jug, C15 to present, amphoras are described in Chapter 6, Glazed and Unglazed
from the Musi River, Sungai Guci site. Catalogue Storage Vessels).
No. K2329.
KHMER
NORTH THAILAND As noted in the Chapter 3, the Khmer did not export their
Shaw (1993) provided an exciting account of recent ceramic products, which they began to glaze only after the
discoveries of numerous ceramic sites in North Thailand that 9th century. Brown glazed wares began to be produced in
produced a wide range of impressive glazed ceramics which the 11th century at Buriram and other sites until 1150 when
reflected decorative styles from Si Satchanalai. However, the Angkor Wat temple was built. Evidence for ceramic
these northern kilns supplied an essentially domestic market production after the 13th century is scant.
and consequently were only briefly referred to here. They Only three examples of Khmer glazed ceramics were
included the Kalong kilns with a wide variety of decorative found in the Musi which supports the view that very little
designs and freely drawn black under-glaze decorations. Khmer glazed wares were exported. One was a kendi in the
Sankampaeng and Phan kilns produced wares reflective shape of an elephant (Figure 125), another was a bottle
of Si Satchanalai celadons but with a more yellow glaze. (Figure 126) and the third was the base part of a vessel
Phayao, Nan and Lampang ware had distinctive and delicate which may have been Khmer (K1350).
repetitive decorations incised through a thick black slip.
GERMAN
PENINSULAR THAILAND A single item of salt-glazed stoneware, produced in German
it appeared that glazed ceramics were not made locally in towns in the area known as the Westerwald, was found in the
any significant quantity in Peninsular Thailand. Rather, they Musi (Figure 127). Such jugs, tankards, and the like were
were imported to population centres along the east coast of made from the 15th century to the present. They may be
the Peninsula from elsewhere in mainland Asia: from the 9th moulded, stamped or occasionally incised.
to 19th century from China; from the 12th to 13th century
brownish coloured jars from Phnom Dangrek, Khmer; in
the 15th century covered boxes and jarlets from North

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