MUZIUM SEJARAH / HISTORY MUSEUM
PORCELAIN
Pottery and ceramic making has been an aspect of culture that has been practised by the early civilizations of Asia to support their daily needs. It has been continually improved and expanded throughout the centuries to reach the level where its products are admired and treasured.
It is commonly accepted fact that ceramic/pottery-making first originated from China. Trade activities between China and the commercial centres in the Asian Continent resulted in the introduction and wide usage of ceramics, eventually becoming items for export. The evolution underwent by the ceramics/porcelain industry had implications on other industries in Asia. The arrival of Chinese porcelain, combined with local techniques and improved further by local methods, influenced or was copied to produce good imitation and original products. In some cases, it affected the growth of the local ceramics industry. Proof of the knowledge for the making of ceramics has been found in China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Mesopotamia, Vietnam (Annamese) and Thailand.
The occupation of Spain by the Arabs led to the introduction of ceramics/porcelain to Western European societies. Soon after that, the Europeans acquired the knowledge of ceramic making which later led them to challenge and master the export of ceramics.
During the 13th century, in Peninsular of Malaysia especially Kedah and Negeri Sembilan had received ceramics either as the trade wares or gifts. At the beginning of the 15th century, as a famous commercial centre, Melaka attracted many Chinese traders. Since then, there was a non-stop flow of ceramics as people from all places arrived in Melaka and traded in ceramics. The Thais also exported their ‘Sawankhalok’ and ‘Sukhothai’ ceramics to Melaka. The Dutch too brought in their ceramics, while Japanese ceramics entered the Melaka market through Batavia. Nyonya wares were specially made by the Baba-Nyonya community and were on display in Melaka.
The ceramics corner displays various types of ceramics found in Melaka either through excavations or were passed on as family heirlooms.
PORCELAIN SHARDS FOUND IN MELAKA
The ceramic shards exhibited in this showcase are some of the samples of various types found in Melaka either through excavations or diggings by various departments. The porcelain shards found through archaeological activities were from the areas around St. Paul’s Hill, around the mausoleum of Hang Tuah and in the reclaimed areas in Bandar Hilir. Digging works in various places also uncovered many types of shards.
The shards displayed here are of the Ming, Ching, Swatow, Nyonya, Sawankhalok and Sukhothai, Anamneses, Dutch, Japanese, Persian and other varieties. They are displayed not according to the type but according to the locations they were uncovered.
The evidence that Melaka was a famous commercial and trade centre was not just found in the historical records but also in the artefacts uncovered here, including the ceramic findings. As a result of war and destruction of property, the ceramic shards were scattered all over town and have no antique value, but they can provide valuable information of their origins, the location and size of the towns, changes which occurred and the circumstances leading to these changes.
VIETNAMESE (ANNAMESE) CERAMICS
Vietnamese ceramics, better known as Annamese wares, have been in production for over 2,000 years. They were highly admired for their high quality, techniques of production and artistic qualities. The glaze used is always fine and smooth, in colours varying from the pale yellow to the light grey.
At the end of the 14th century, the Annamese wares showed signs of Chinese influences with the use of artistic motifs, without an under glaze, and in some cases, coated with a layer of iron oxide. As an added attraction, the wares produced in the 15th and 16th centuries were made in different colours besides the Chinese-influenced blue and white ceramics.
The main ceramics centres were located around Hanoi city and were operating up to a few years ago.
SUKHOTHAI AND SAWANKHALOK CERAMICS
The pottery and ceramics industry has existed for a long time in Thailand. Because it was depended on royal patronage, the production of Thai wares was localised in nature, dependant on the rise and fall of the state powers, and was therefore known by the location where they were made.
In the middle of the 13th century, a new kingdom was established in Sukhothai in Northern Thailand, and within 50 years, especially under King Rama Khampeng, the Empire of Sukhothai had become a cultural, trade and administrative centre. This encouraged the growth of the ceramics industry to meet domestic needs as well as for export purposes.
At first, the kilns in Sukhothai produced ceramics, which were of low quality due to the rough clay found around the city. Sukhothai ceramics can be categorised into white wares and under glazed painted wares.
During the middle of the 14th century, a new ceramics centre was opened in Sawankhalok, not far from the city of Sukhothai. The clay found in this area was of finer quality than that of Sukhothai, enabling the production of better ceramics. The Sawankhalok ceramics industry grew, producing many varieties of ceramics, including artistic, decorative wares. The ceramics were not only white in colour but also brown and green, with an under glaze.
JAPANESE CERAMICS
Although the ceramics industry in Japan had existed for a long time, it was not known outside the country because its use was restricted to customary ceremonies. The wares were not attractive to foreigners although they were important to the Japanese.
Chinese and Korean influences had infiltrated Japanese ceramics. The Chinese techniques improved the quality of Japanese wares in the 14th to 16th centuries. The Koreans who were brought into Japan at the end of the 16th century set up kilns and improved the standards of porcelain making in Japan in the early 17th century. These improved ceramics entered the European market and became an export item of Japan.
In the meantime, the Japanese ceramics centres produced wares with Dutch designs. Japanese ceramics found in this country came from the kilns of Imari, Kakiemin and Kutani. This trade was conducted through the Dutch in Batavia.
ISLAMIC CERAMICS
Throughout the centuries, the middle-Eastern countries like Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Persia and Turkey have produced high quality glazed ceramics. When these countries became Muslim, the ceramics industry grew to a high form of art.
The best Islamic ceramics, either in design or technology, or both, were made in Fuslat, near Cairo; Samarra, Iraq; in Susa and Rayy, Persia; in Iznik, Turkey and in Syria. Later, Chinese influence penetrated the Middle-Eastern ceramic industry and the combined techniques of the Arabs and the Chinese resulted in a new tin glaze, which later led to the creation of quality wall tiles, decorative motives and miniature paintings.
Arabic ceramics were introduced into Eastern Europe via Spain when it was ruled by the Muslims, leading to the introduction and subsequent spread of ceramics making throughout Europe.
Towards the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, when Islamic influence was felt in the Ming Court, China exported a limited number of Islamic wares. For a while, this influence waned, but rose again between the 17th and 19th centuries when Islamic ceramics were exported. At that time, the centre of the ceramics industry was the district of Fukian, which also entertained special orders. During the 18th century, the Chinese produced a type of Islamic ceramics believed to have healing powers and were therefore very popular.
Rich families also ordered special ceramic wares, which carried their family names. Changing times and political scenarios saw the Islamic ceramic industry replaced by European ceramics.
SWATOW CERAMIC WARES
Fukian was one of the districts in South China, which was actively involved in the ceramics industry during the 16th and 17th centuries. However, they are not connected to the ceramics produced by the Chinese Ming or Ching dynasties, but were called the ‘Swatow wares’, named after the harbour from which they were exported overseas to Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, India and elsewhere.
The differences between the Swatow ceramics and the Ming and Ching porcelain wares can be easily spotted. The Swatow wares are usually large and coarse, with sand particles or minute stones attached to the glazed base. They were attractive but were roughly made, in colours such as red, greenish blue and black. There are also other Swatow-made varieties such as those coated with a dull blue colour or celadon glaze.
The Swatow ceramics industry also produced wares with Islamic motifs and decorations as well as Arabic script and Quran verses for markets in the Muslim countries. The Swatow industry was also affected by the political upheavals in China and eventually lost its identity.
DUTCH CERAMICS
Holland was also famous for its own ceramics tradition of early ‘maiolica’ and ‘delft’ wares. The early Dutch ceramics were not really in a high quality and were produced only for domestic consumption. The arrival of the Dutch in Southeast Asia and their relations with China enabled them to improve their ceramics industry and eventually produce high quality of porcelain.
The Dutch domination of Southeast Asia started in the early 17th century and reached its height in 1682. They ruled the seas of Asia, monopolized the spice trade and became the main supplier of Chinese porcelain to Asian and European markets. Aware of the profits of the porcelain trade, they took over as the exporter of Chinese porcelain when internal strife overcame China in the 17th century.
The fall of the Ming dynasty and the rise of the Ching dynasty affected the ceramics industry in 1644 and forced the Dutch to turn to Japan for its supply of porcelain. As such, the designs produced were mostly copied from contemporary Chinese porcelain and were modified to suit the markets. They also exported Japanese porcelain in the 17th and 18th centuries, some of which carried the letters VOC, which was the insignia of the Dutch East India Company. These porcelains were brought to Melaka via Batavia (now Jakarta). The colourful Dutch porcelain wares found in Holland had mostly been meant for the Southeast Asian markets.
MING WARES
The ceramics industry began in China during the Shang Dynasty (1523-1038 B.C.) Since then, ceramics has been produced by the dynasties, which followed until it achieved high quality and fame throughout the Asian continent. The high quality blue-and-white Ming porcelains (1368- 1644) were too famous.
During the Yuan Dynasty (1279 – 1368), porcelain was exported to the rest of Asia, but under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the industry came under royal patronage. Laws were enacted to bring foreign traders under direct court control, resulting in the production of Ming wares with foreign scripts as requested by the foreigners.
During the Ming Dynasty, the porcelain wares were placed under several categories so as to regulate the standards of the industry. There were three categories of Ming porcelain, official/imperial, popular and export. The official/imperial wares were manufactured only in special kilns to cater solely for palace use and were of high quality. The popular wares were supposedly produced only for domestic consumption but were also illegally exported. The export wares were specifically made based on the orders of foreigners. It was obvious that smuggling had occurred, as there were findings of wares of all three categories in places outside China. Ming porcelain was exported to the Malay Peninsular.
Through the Chinese sea merchants, during the Melaka Sultanate, relations between Melaka and China became closer. This enabled Melaka to become the export and import centre of Ming wares for the region as well as for the Indian and Arabian sub-continents.
When the Portuguese conquered Melaka in 1511, Melaka continued to be the centre of the Ming porcelain industry. Ming wares were sent to European markets through Melaka and Lisbon. Later, the Dutch took over the marketing of Ming wares to Europe, calling it ‘kreak’ ware. During the mid 17th century, the Ming porcelain industry was badly affected by the dynasty wars in China.
NYONYA WARES
Their bright colour combinations of pink, yellow, dark blue and green can easily distinguish Nyonya wares. The designs generally found on Nyonya wares are fish, phoenixes, flowers such as roses and chrysanthemums and other favoured animals.
Nyonya wares were first produced during the late 18th century. They were specially made on consignment for the Straits-born Chinese of Melaka, and later of Singapore, known as Baba-Nyonya. Hence, it is common to find the surnames of the families on the wares. They were not meant for daily use but were only for celebrations and family gatherings.
These highly treasured wares were produced in Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces of China. Nyonya wares come in different shapes and sizes but were mainly dining sets, tea sets, vases and other specially ordered trinket boxes, powder cases and other personal items. The deterioration of their quality as a result of the political upheaval during the late Ching era and competition from European ceramics finally extinct the Nyonya ware industry.
CHING WARES
The takeover of China by the Manchus from Northeast Manchuria saw the start of the last imperial dynasty and the last great period of ceramic production. The blue and white wares reached technical perfection; only to gradually lose popularity later to multicoloured decorated wares.
Large quantities of blue and white Ching wares were exported to Europe during the 17th and 18th century as the demand from Europeans for them grew. At that time, European powers controlled many of Southeast Asian countries. The Europeans who referred to them simply as ‘China’ considered the Ching wares fashionable and prestigious items.
After 1795, internal strife, foreign intervention and competition from overseas ceramics industries affected the quality of the Ching wares. It recovered in 1864, but the porcelain industry no longer concentrated on the production of blue and white wares but also produced decorated colourful wares to cater to the needs of overseas Chinese. These colourful ceramics came to be known as Nyonya and Bencharong wares. Many of them are excellent quality and are prized items today. The fall of the Ching dynasty in 1912 ended the era of the porcelain industry in China.
THE DISCOVERY OF AN EARTHENWARE JAR CONTAINING HUMAN BONES
On 15th December 2008, the villagers from Kampung Tengah, Bukit Rambai, Melaka had found four earthenware jars which contained pieces of bone fragments and were believed had been used by Chinese people around 300 years ago. The all four earthenware jars were buried in lines at a private land. Three out of four of them were covered with three pieces of ceramic plates. The design of Chinese calligraphy note dated on 1702 also found at one of them. As the matter of fact, the unique lion head carved on the earthenware jar showed the artifact was from China.
According to the historical record, the body burial in earthenware jar usually found in China and some parts in Sabah and Sarawak. This unique ceremony of burial was first time found in Melaka. Thus, it might be the evidence that it was used as the Chinese cemetery many years ago. It is also a high possibility that the area was occupied by the Chinese people and became their settlement in accordance with the location of the earthenware jars were discovered as just 200 meters away from the Chinese cemeteries.
Melaka Museums Corporation (PERZIM) in cooperation with Malaysia Museums Department and National Heritage Department together also with University of Science Malaysia (USM) will be conducting a further investigation including “carbon dating” test to study the real information regarding the origins of the earthenware jars that were found.
THE KERUBONG FINDINGS
The ceramic wares including the earthenware, and a grinder base with the grinder exhibited in this showcase were found near the Kerubong area, situated about 13km from Melaka town. They were discovered by a contractor during the digging work in the 1960s, and since then, they have been displayed in the Melaka museum.
The ceramics were from the late Ming period, while the grinding base and grinder were used for the preparation of beauty care. The origins of the earthenware cannot be determined. All these artefacts were discovered in an interior area far from the Melaka fort.
During the Melaka Sultanate, there was a village yet destroyed by the Dutch in the Tampoi area nearby Kerubong. The Portuguese had built a church in Tampoi but the Dutch destroyed it in 1606. The attack on the village by either the Portuguese or the Dutch could have forced the villagers to flee. According to the custom then, people who left a village in a hurry would bury their personal belongings, with the hope that they could reclaim them later. When these items are not reclaimed for whatever reasons, they will remain buried until discovered at a later date.
