Majapahit was one of the last major Hindu-Buddhist empires of the region and is considered to be one of the greatest and most powerful empires in the history of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The name of Majapahit was taken from the name of a fruit that had a bitter taste (maja is the fruit name and pahit means bitter). The Empire was a powerful and wealthy maritime society that controlled most of the trade routes through the Strait of Malacca and the Java Sea during the 13th-16th centuries.
The founder of the empire was Vijaya. In 1292 Mongol troops came to Java to avenge an insult to the emperor of China, Kublai Khan, by the king of Singhasari. Vijaya initially collaborated with the Mongol troops, however eventually turned against them, expelling them from Java. Under his rule the new kingdom, Majapahit, successfully controlled Bali, Madura, Malayu, and Tanjungpura.
The power of Majapahit reached its height in the mid-14th century under the leadership of King Hayam Wuruk and his prime minister, Gajah Mada. Some scholars have argued that the territories of Majapahit covered present-day Indonesia and part of Malaysia, but others maintain that its territory was confined to eastern Java and Bali. Nonetheless, Majapahit became a significant power in the region, maintaining regular trading relations with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Siam(Thailand).
The golden era of Majapahit was short-lived. The empire began to decline after the death of Gajah Mada in 1364, and it was further weakened after the death of Hayam Wuruk in 1389. The spread of Islam and the rise of the Islamic states along the northern coast of Java eventually brought the Majapahit era to an end in the late 15th or early 16th century.
About the time Majapahit was founded, Muslim traders and proselytisers began entering the area. The Tralaya tomb, a remnant of an Islamic cemetery compound was discovered within the Trowulan area, the royal capital of Majapahit. Experts suggest that the cemetery was used between 1368 and 1611 AD proving that Muslim traders had resided in the capital as early as the mid-14th century.
Terracotta pottery was an important craft during the Majapahit era. Female pottery heads show Javanese features with infinite facial expressions, with hairstyles and ear ornamentation representing ladies belonging to the upper classes. Many figurines have been found decapitated, suggesting their use as effigies or religious offerings to the gods for bountiful harvests. It is also thought that they were secular play objects, cast aside once broken. Complete figurines are rare compared to the many headless figures or heads without bodies.
Most Majapahit terracotta artefacts found are from Trowulan. They are often incidental finds by farmers agricultural activities – or unearthed by diggers who dig pits panning the alluvial soil for gold.
