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Miksic (2019/1/29), What more can archaeology tell us about Singapore’s past?

John N. Miksic. 29 January 2019. ‘What More Can Archaeology Tell Us About Singapore’s Past?’ Lecture in the series ‘1819 and Before: Singapore’s Pasts’, commemorating Singapore’s bicentennial anniversary. ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. [official info]

John Miksic National Library Singapore
John Miksic speaking at the National Library, Singapore. November 2018.

Abstract
This month marks the 35th anniversary of Singapore’s first archaeological excavation and the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the British under Sir T.S. Raffles. Since then, over half a million artefacts have been recovered from Singapore. These cover two periods: the Temasek era (14th to 16th century) and the Singapore era (1819-present). The artefacts from these excavations have succeeded in proving that Singapore had a sophisticated multicultural society and complex economy before 1350. Continue reading “Miksic (2019/1/29), What more can archaeology tell us about Singapore’s past?”

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Acri (2018), Nusantara in the Sanskritic Buddhist Cosmopolis

Andrea Acri. 2018. ‘The place of Nusantara in the Sanskritic Buddhist Cosmopolis’. TRaNS: Trans-Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia 6 (2), pp. 139-166. doi:10.1017/trn.2018.5 [academia]


From the Abstract
This article synthesizes and links together evidence published thus far in secondary literature in order to highlight the contribution of Nusantara to the genesis and circulation of various forms of Sanskritic Buddhism across Asia from the fifth to the fourteenth century. It places particular emphasis on its expansion via maritime routes. Continue reading “Acri (2018), Nusantara in the Sanskritic Buddhist Cosmopolis”

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Acri ed. (2016), Esoteric Buddhism in Mediaeval Maritime Asia

Acri, Andrea (ed). 2016. Esoteric Buddhism in Mediaeval Maritime Asia: Networks of Masters, Texts, Icons. Nalanda-Sriwijaya Series 27. Singapore: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. xii+468 pp. ISBN: 978-981-4695-09-1 (whole book, digital), ISBN 978-981-4695-08-4 (print). [PDF: Introduction, Bibliography, Index]

Official site: ISEAS. OCLC: 958714872. TOC: Andrea Acri at academia.edu. Review: newbooks.asia

Acri 2016, Esoteric Buddhism in Mediaeval Maritime Asia

Contents Continue reading “Acri ed. (2016), Esoteric Buddhism in Mediaeval Maritime Asia”

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Acri, van der Meij (2011): Two Indonesian Buddhism reviews

Two recommended review essays:

Andrea Acri. ‘Alternative approaches to eighth-century Central Javanese Buddhist architecture’. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- end Volkenkunde 167, No. 2-3 (2011), pp.313-321. [abstract/PDF]

Dick van der Meij. ‘Kakawin Sutasoma and Kakawin Nāgara Kṛtāgama’. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- end Volkenkunde 167, No. 2-3 (2011), pp.322-332. [abstract/PDF]

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12th c. Buddhist cave found in East Java

A 12th-century meditation cave with Buddhist sculptures was recently discovered (or rather publicised) near the hamlet of Jireg in East Java. It seems that its contents have already been looted. There is little information about how the dating was reached (the few available images are of the Majapahit style). Offerings appear to have been regularly made by pilgrims.

The Buddhist affiliation of the site is similarly not made clear in news reports. But then there is mention of the “1,500 Buddhists in Bondowoso” — a surviving village of Majapahit Buddhists? Fascinating.

It is predictable that comment on this find fell automatically to Theravādin groups, who of course have no connection whatsoever to the Majapahit era or any other aspect of Indonesia’s Buddhist heritage.

* In other news, Burmese Theravādin monks recently released their hostages.