MUSEUM TREASURES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Ancient Southeast Asia and the splendours of its past have been captured in a new publication by the Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) titled Museum Treasures of Southeast Asia.

This coffee table book portrays a selection of artifacts from ASEAN museums, showing items made of stone, clay, metal, wood and fibre.

From these elements produced from our earth, we marvel at the ingenuity of their creators, like the ancient architects of Angkor who had carved out a reputation for their skills in stone-sculpturing.

The life-like depiction of the early rulers of the kingdom of Cambodia can be seen in the sandstone figures of King Jayavarman VII, built in Angkor Thom in Siem Reap, Cambodia, during the 12th century.

Across the border in Laos, lie the Plain of Jars in Xien Khouang, where huge stone urns dot the grassy field. They are believed to be burial urns.

The artisans of yore paid tribute to the Gods through religious carvings and sculptures made of sandstone as well as metal.

Bronze was commonly used to mould the images of heavenly beings like the pantheon of Hindu gods and also the Lord Buddha in various poses.

Bronze was also used to make weapons like the keris, a jagged-edge dagger and shields, as well as other protective or decorative items.

From the mammoth to the minute, the old artisans of Southeast Asia were equally adept at moulding clay into small incense burners carved with delicate designs.

Some craftsmen shaped their works of art in celadon - glazed porcelain in a green hue which was found in Thailand.

Today, this centuries old style of celadon design is still in existence in Thailand and they also come in shades of blue.

Blue and white porcelain for which China is famous for, gained popularity in Southeast Asia through trade.  As such, copies of traditional Chinese porcelain were also produced by local artisans.

Pots and urns were made for religious worship as well as for household use to store food and water.

Although they were found in different parts of Southeast Asia, some of these artifacts have similarities in design, reflecting the shared heritage of our forefathers.

The artifacts depicted in this book presents a glimpse of the way of life in this region in centuries past, giving us an understanding of the cultures and civilizations of Southeast Asia and the diversity of our peoples in this land we call home – By Geraldine Goh

[The Museum Treasures of Southeast Asia is available for sale at the ASEAN Secretariat gift shop at US$40.]