Ceramic jars were critical utilitarian objects in the context of transnational social and economic connections within maritime trade during global history. Between the 9th and 14th centuries, these jars circulated through various nodes of maritime trading networks, reaching overseas markets. This talk aims to provide a comprehensive overview and updates on research concerning Chinese ceramic jars conducted over the past decade.
One challenge has been the identification and classification of imported Chinese ceramic jars in Southeast Asia. Previous studies have lacked substantial archaeological evidence from South China’s production and consumption sites, hindering provenance research and the precise classification of similar objects discovered in Southeast Asia.
This presentation by Dr. Sharon Wong will introduce new archaeological findings from Guangdong ceramic jar production sites, including Nanhai, Shiwan, Wentouling, Guangzhou Zengbian, and Fujian kilns, as well as official wine cellars and wells in Guangzhou, and the Nanhai No. 1 Shipwreck. Using a comparative method, this talk will also examine ceramic jars excavated or found in Southeast Asia, particularly those from the Belitung Shipwreck, Fort Canning in Singapore, and other Southeast Asian sites dating from the 9th to 14th centuries.
It will discuss how Chinese ceramic jars reflect the interconnections within maritime trading networks, specifically focusing on their uses for packing and carrying goods. Furthermore, it will explore the extent to which these exchanges impacted domestic ceramic production, regional circulation, and consumption at destinations along long-distance trade routes via land and sea in the context of Southeast Asia-China archaeology. A moderated Q&A session will follow the talk.
About the Speaker: Sharon Wong received her PhD in Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore and her master’s degree from the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University, China. She currently teaches at the Department of Anthropology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research interests encompass archaeology, China-Southeast Asian cultural interactions during historical periods, trade ceramic studies, craft production technology, and cultural heritage studies. Sharon has conducted fieldwork in both Southeast Asia and China and is currently involved in research projects on ceramic studies in Angkor, Cambodia, Guangdong, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, and the networking of Guangzhou as a port city along the maritime ceramic road in Asia.
Venue: Level 5, Imagination Room, Singapore National Library, 3:00-4:30pm.
This talk is open to the public; SEACS members are invited to bring guests. No reservation is required.