Papers on the Malayan metal age
Prince John Loewenstein and G. de G. Sieveking published this comprehensive study in 1956 for the Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, examining the archaeological evidence of the Malayan Peninsula. The authors argue that the region lacked indigenous copper resources, necessitating the importation of bronze artifacts from the Dong-son culture of Indo-China, and challenge the prevailing theory of a simultaneous “Bronze-Iron” age.
Summary
The investigation begins with the geological reality that Malaya, Burma, and Siam are virtually devoid of copper ores, meaning any bronze artifacts found must have been imported rather than locally manufactured (p. 1). Consequently, the few prehistoric bronze objects discovered, including socketed celts, drums, and bells, are identified as intrusions from the north, specifically from the cultural sphere of Yunnan and Indo-China (p. 1). The authors establish that the distribution of these items, particularly the bronze drums, follows a land route from Yunnan through Siam and Malaya, effectively excluding the possibility of a sea-borne transmission from the Kingdom of Funan (p. 58).
Typological analysis of the bronze drums reveals that the Malayan fragments from Tembeling and Klang belong to Heger’s Type Ic subgroup, characterized by purely geometric designs and representations of birds in flight rather than human figures (p. 27). By comparing these designs with primary drums and dated specimens, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum drum cast in A.D. 199, the authors date the Malayan drums to the second century B.C. (p. 36). Similarly, the three clapperless bronze bells found near Klang are distinguished from later elephant bells; their size and ornamentation align with Dong-son bells and Japanese Dotaku, suggesting a ritual or musical function rather than a use for domesticated elephants (p. 31).
The study further dismantles the concept of a unified “Bronze-Iron” culture by demonstrating that the bronze drums and bells are not associated with the iron implements or slab-graves found in Southern Perak (p. 53). Chemical analysis confirms this separation, showing that Dong-son bronzes contain significant lead (approximately 18-21%), whereas the minor bronze fragments associated with Iron Age sites contain no lead (p. 44). Additionally, the theory that the Chinese kingdom of Tun-sun was a vassal state in Malaya is rejected based on geographical contradictions and the lack of archaeological evidence for a major settlement at Klang during that period (p. 38).
Key Findings
- Malaya is virtually devoid of copper ores, meaning bronze artifacts were imported from the Dong-son culture region of Indo-China (p. 1).
- Malayan bronze drums belong to Heger’s Type Ic subgroup, characterized by geometric designs and birds in flight (p. 27).
- Chemical analysis reveals Dong-son drums contain significant lead (approx. 18-21%), whereas Iron Age bronzes contain none (p. 44).
- The “Tun-sun” kingdom described in Chinese records cannot be identified with the Malay Peninsula due to geographical contradictions (p. 38).
- Iron Age slab-graves in Southern Perak contain iron implements but no associated Dong-son bronzes (p. 53).
- Bronze bells found near Klang are clapperless and likely musical instruments, not elephant bells (p. 31).
Conclusion
The definitive historical takeaway is that the Metal Age in Malaya was not an indigenous development but an intrusive culture introduced via land routes from Yunnan and Indo-China, with the Bronze and Iron cultures representing distinct chronological waves separated by nearly a millennium.
Context
- The study relies heavily on artifacts housed in the Raffles Museum and the Perak Museum, highlighting the colonial era’s role in collecting and analyzing regional antiquities.
- It reflects mid-20th-century historiographical efforts to distinguish between indigenous and imported cultural layers in Southeast Asian prehistory.