The Function of Vietnamese Glazed Dvarapala Figurines for the Java Market, Indonesia

SAKAI Takashi

Among Vietnamese ware of the 14th - 15th centuries, the golden age of their export, one finds a very unusual ware in particular forms or motifs such as glazed figurines and wall tiles. These kinds of wares diverged greatly from the Vietnamese or Chinese ceramic traditions. They can be compared with many findings from Java, Indonesia, whereas almost no finds have been reported from Vietnam itself. Consequently, it seems very probable that these unusual wares were manufactured by special order for the market in Java. As a typical example, I discuss the origin of the image of Dvarapala polychrome figurines in several museums based on my analysis of sherds found in the Trowulan archaeological site, East Java, where a huge number of related figurine shards such as human, animal and miniature garden have been unearthed. I considered Vietnamese ceramic figurines without any Islamic elements, different from glazed wall tiles, which were created for Hindu Javanese cultural demand. Also, the variation of figurines is similar to Dvarapala statues or animal reliefs of the Panataran Temple at the foot of Mt. Kelud, an active volcano in East Java. Vietnamese ware occupies the highest number among imported ceramics of the 15th century in Trowulan, therefore undoubtedly this capital of the Majapahit Kingdom functioned as the largest importer of Vietnamese export ware. Identifying the significance of glazed figurines in the export market, an important key element in the whole trade of Vietnamese ware can be understood in the production of these figurines.