Ceramics from the Tanjung Simpang Mengayau Shipwreck

Classification and Description

Abstract

The Tanjung Simpang Mengayau shipwreck ceramics, from Kudat, Sabah, have previously been identified as Chinese ceramics dating to the Northern Song Dynasty (960-112 CE) by Sjostrand (2003). In this study, the shipwreck ceramic samples can be classified into 11 main ceramic types based on form, i.e., shape, function, glaze colour and decoration. The ceramic types are bowls, jars, plates, ewers, kendis, bottles, covered boxes, basins, teapots, vases and lids. The majority of ceramics are bowls with olive green glaze, followed by jars with various shades of brown glazes, and ewers with white glaze. These ceramics are mostly decorated with bamboo-comb incision, such as vertical lines on the outer body for bowls and plates, whereas jars and jarlets are predominantly decorated with floral or pattern incisions. The inner body of most of the bowls, plates and basins have either floral or pattern incisions or they have no decoration at all, while teapots and ewers are usually undecorated. These ceramics were part of the cargo of a ship travelling from China, via the Philippines, to Borneo. It is believed to be the oldest cargo ship so far found in Malaysian waters, providing important evidence of early maritime trade from China to Borneo, as well as cultural affinities between Tanjung Simpang Mengayau and other areas of the Indonesian archipelago. 

Seramik dari kapal karam di Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, Kudat, Sabah telah dikenal pasti sebagai seramik Cina bertarikh Dinasti Song Utara (960-1127 M) oleh Sjostrand (2003). Kajian ini telah mengelaskan sampel seramik dari kapal karam kepada 11 jenis seramik utama berdasarkan bentuk, fungsi, warna glais dan hiasan. Jenis-jenis seramik tersebut adalah mangkuk, tempayan, pinggan, ewer, kendi, botol, kotak bertutup, besen, teko, pasu dan penutup. Sebahagian besar seramik adalah mangkuk dengan warna glais hijau zaitun, diikuti dengan tempayan pelbagai warna glais perang dan ewer dengan glais putih. Seramik ini kebanyakannya dihias dengan ukiran sisir buluh seperti garisan menegak pada badan luar mangkuk dan pinggan, manakala tempayan dan jarlet kebanyakannya dihiasi dengan ukiran bunga atau bercorak. Badan bahagian dalam kebanyakan mangkuk, pinggan dan besen pula mempunyai sama ada ukiran bunga dan bercorak atau tiada hiasan langsung, manakala teko dan ewer biasanya tidak berhias. Seramik ini merupakan sebahagian daripada kargo kapal yang belayar dari China ke Borneo melalui Filipina. Ia dipercayai kapal kargo tertua yang ditemui di perairan Malaysia setakat ini dan memberi bukti penting berkenaan perdagangan maritim awal dari China ke Borneo serta hubungan kebudayaan di antara Tanjung Simpang Mengayau dan sekitar kepulauan Indonesia.