Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum Newsletter Volume VII Number 2 Oct 2013-Jan 2014
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Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum Newsletter Volume VII Number 2 Oct 2013-Jan 2014 Editor: Ayutthaya Port Town and Ceramics Trading in Nakhon Si Thammarat Pariwat Thammapreechakorn Between 1350 and 1767, the Ayutthaya re-designated as a city of primary rank Editorial staff: Kingdom became one of the most with a high level of security, and four Burin Singtoaj Atthasit Sukkham important trading centers in Southeast Asia of its dependent cities were transferred Wanaporn Khambut and a magnet for explorers, missionaries, to the direct control of Ayutthaya. John Toomey Walter Kassela ambassadors and merchants from around Interdisciplinary research reveals Nakhon the world, specifically Chinese, Vietnamese, Si Thammarat as an important port town Reporters: Ang Choulean, Ann Proctor, Indian, Persian, as well as the Portuguese, in the southern territory of the Ayutthaya Augustine Vinh, Japanese, Dutch, British and French. Crucial Kingdom. Because its location was close Berenice Bellina, Chang Kuang-Jen, to its success was the location of the capital to the Gulf of Siam, some archaeologists Chhay Rachna, named Ayutthaya on the Chao Phraya believe it was connected to maritime Chhay Visoth, David Rehfuss, River Basin that connected to other river trade routes by the Ta Rua Canal situated Dawn Rooney,Don Hein, ways and to the Gulf of Siam. Including its in the south of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Donald Stadtner, Edward Von der Porten, dependent cities, especially the southern Else Geraets, territory, the kingdom was situated on Eusebio Dizon, Gary Hill, Hab Touch, Heidi Tan, excellent land with rich natural resources Ho Chui Mei, Horst Liebner, and local products, such as agricultural Ian Glover, Jennifer Rodrigo, John Kleinen, produce, fisheries, ore mines and handicraft Leng Rattanak, Li Guo, manufacturing. These dependent cities also Li Jianan, Louise Cort, Marie-France Dupoizat, supplied such materials to Ayutthaya, and Melody Rod-ari, the kingdom exported them to Southeast Michael Flecker, Mohd. Sherman bin Sauffi, Asian and other markets as well. Ngueyn Xuan Hien, Pamela Gutman, Fig. 1 The locations of dependent cities, on- Patrick McGlyn, Peter Burns, Nakhon Si Thammarat is situated on the Philippe Colomban, east coast of the Malay Peninsula. The list land sites and shipwreck sites on the middle Pierre-Yves Manguin, part of Malay Peninsula in the Ayutthaya Rasmi Shoocongdej, of expansions and reforms since the reign period (1350-1767). Rita Tan, of King Boromtrailokanath (1448-1488), who Sayan Praicharnjit, Shih Ching-fei, was the ninth king of Ayutthaya, included Aside from their own specific town Sten Sjostrand, the appointment of Nakhon Si Thammarat conditions, the arts, architecture, and Tim Hartill, Timothy Rebbeck, as Phraya Maha Nakhon (a chief city) to cultures of Ayutthaya and Nakhon Si Tira Vanichtheeranont, control other dependent cities, specifically Thammarat share similarities, specifically Tran Ky Phuong, Zheng Jin Ie Phatthalung, Chaiya, Chumpon and Thalang, the concepts of the layout of the town @ Email: in the southern territory of the Ayutthaya plan, infrastructure (e.g., gates, fortresses [email protected] Kingdom. Later Nakhon Si Thammarat was and town walls), construction techniques Southeast Asian Ceramics ..continue next page Museum Inside this issue: Letter from the editor Ayutthaya Port Town This issue contains several interpretations and suggestions concerning East and and Ceramics Trading in 1 Southeast Asian ceramics. Specifically, Atthasit Sukkham has described the Nakhon Si Thammarat significance of the trade ceramics found in the port towns of southern Thailand, and The Development of Wanaporn Khambut has written about the development of Si Satchanalai celadons, Celadon Production ... 4 as well as the significance of the ceramics collected in the Kanchanaphisek National Museum that were written about by Kannasamon Kamuta and John J. Toomey. Also The Ceramics Gallery... 6 a review of the Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum collection has been written by Burin Singtoaj. The latest book by Dawn F. Rooney has been published and is now Collection Review 8 available in the book stores and libraries. The last news item concerns in-house activities in 2013 which were established and presented to compensate for the ongoing restoration of the museum exhibition that is planned to be completed in 2014. News in brief... 9 page 2 (e.g., bricks and stuccos), and religions Meanwhile, Dutch chronicles during and beliefs (e.g., Buddhist and Hindu the middle Ayutthaya period (1488- religious monuments and even 1630) also recorded that Nakhon Buddha images). Si Thammarat was an important supplier of spices and tin for trading According to many ancient maps in the Far East Asian and European by European explorers during the markets. However, various types Fig. 4 Chu Dau blue and white jarlets period, such as Regnvm Sian drawn of products were also imported to of Le Dynasty, 15th century, found at Thao Khoht (left) and Chantrat by Andreas and Metellus in 1596, Nakhon Si Thammarat by foreign Taram Temples (right). Malacca drawn by Langenes in 1598, merchants, especially ceramics. Insulae Indiae Orientalis Praecipuae 2. Vietnamese ceramics of the drawn by Hondius in 1606, India The ceramics found in Nakhon Si Le Dynasty, originating from two drawn by Blaeu in 1635 which was Thammarat are the following: productions sites, the Chu Dau kilns commissioned by the Vereenigde 1. Si Satchanalai wares produced in Hai Duong province, northern Oost-Indische Compagnie (the Dutch at the Si Satchanalai kilns in Si Vietnam, and the Go Sanh kilns in East India Company, or VOC) and Satchanalai City comprised of a Binh Dinh province, central Vietnam. Carte du Royaume de Siam et des middle Si Satchanalai celadon dish The first group is of Chu Dau blue Pays Circonvoisins drawn by le Père (the first half of 15th century) with and white jarlets with flower and Placide in 1686, who was one of the engraved chrysanthemum and classic lotus panel designs and blue and French envoys to establish relations scroll designs on the interior that white covered boxes with flower, with King Narai the Great (1656-1688) was found in the town; two late Si lotus blossom and square panel of Ayutthaya – all of these had Satchanalai underglaze black jarlets designs, both associated with Chinese usually recorded the location of (the late 15th to mid-16th centuries) ceramics which were found in the Nakhon Si Thammarat together with with flower and cross-hatch designs in earth surrounding the great stupa other port towns in India, mainland square panels and two-color glazed of the Thao Khoht Temple which is situated in the town. The second group is of Chu Dau blue and white jarlets with flower and lotus panel designs and Go Sanh brown glazed jars which were found together with late Si Satchanalai wares inside the stupa of the Chantrat Taram Temple. Fig. 2 A late Si Satchanalai underglaze Fig. 3 A late Si Satchanalai two-color All of them were dated to the 15th black jars, late 15th to mid-16th centuries, glazed jar, late 15th to mid-16th centu- century. found at Chedi Yak Temple. Nakhon Si ries, found at Chedi Yak Temple. Na- Thammarat National Museum. khon Si Thammarat National Museum. 3. Chinese ceramics of the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties comprised Southeast Asia, insular Southeast jarlets with flower designs which of: Asia, the Malay Peninsula and even were found in the earth together - Ceramics of the Yuan Dynas- China. Moreover, we also find several with Chinese ceramics surrounding ty (1280-1368), especially Longquan different words recorded to name the great stupa of the Chedi Yak celadon dishes with fluted verti- Nakhon Si Thammarat, such as Temple situated in the town; and cal lines on the interior which were Nucaon, Ligor, Ligoral, Lugu and Point a late Si Satchanalai brown glazed found in the town. of Ligor, for example. All such maps jarlet that was found together with - Ceramics of the Ming Dynas- represent Nakhon Si Thammarat as Vietnamese ceramics inside the stupa ty (1368-1644), especially Longquan one of the significant port towns that of the Chantrat Taram Temple, which celadon dishes with engraved Chi- the explorers recorded on their maps is situated on the coastal area in the nese fret designs on the interior that along their journeys. north of Nakhon Si Thammarat. were stuck on the pillars in the Maha Ut Great Hall of the Chai Na Temple ..continue next page page 3 stupa of the Phra Mahathat Temple is of small Bencharong dishes with complex Thai designs, such as lotus Fig. 6 Cizao green and yellow glazed jarlets of Ming Dynasty, second half of 16th century, found at Chedi Yak Tem- ples. Nakhon Si Thammarat National Museum. reigns, which were used to decorate various types of edifices in the Fig. 8 Jingdezhen blue and white dish (left), Jindezhen overglaze enam- Buddhist temples by sticking them eled dish with“Chinese Islamic magic on. This was assumed to be a popular square” design (right), and Dehua blue Fig. 5 Longquan celadon dishes of th th th tradition for the period. glazed dish (below), late 17 to early Yuan Dynasty, late 13 to late 14 cen- th turies, found at Nakhon Si Thamma- 18 centuries, Great stupa of Phra rat. Nakhon Si Thammarat National The first category is the ceramics Mahathat Temple. Museum. stuck on the great stupa of the and deva designs, believed possibly which is situated in the town, Cizao Phra Mahathat Temple which is to have been ordered by Thais to green and yellow glazed jarlets with situated in the center of the town,