13th/15th Century Majapahit Statue

Description

Antique Majapahit Male Terracotta Statue of a Chinese Man

Region: Trowulan   East Java   Indonesia

Period: 13th – 15th Century

Height including stand: 26cm / 10.25 inches

Statue Height: 21cm / 8.25 inches

Statue Width: 7.5cm / 3 inches

This genuine and rarely found larger than usual Majapahit terracotta statue of a Chinese man is to be enjoyed as a nice historical piece of ancient Indonesian history. It will make an excellent and interesting gift, ideal for desk or shelf display. It was acquired in a batch of many terracotta’s several decades ago, along with other nice effigies and a large assortment of terracotta fragments.

The Majapahit Empire of Eastern Java flourished during the 13th-16th centuries. It was a powerful and wealthy maritime Empire that controlled most of the trade routes through the Strait of Malacca and the Java Sea.

Terracotta pottery was an important craft during the Majapahit era. 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 are from Trowulan, East Java. Majapahit terracotta artefacts of my collection have in the main been incidental finds by farmers agricultural activities – or unearthed by diggers who dig pits panning the alluvial soil for gold.

This ancient terracotta statue was found headless. The head was found nearby and reattached successfully. Otherwise the statue is in reasonably good condition considering the age of the effigy.

Please view all of the photos with regard to its condition…