Southeast Asia

Civilisations in Southeast Asia

Growth

Features

Mainland Southeast Asia

Consists of present-day Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos

Rivers that flow through these areas include the Irrawady River and the Mekong River

Island Southeast Asia

Made up of thousands of islands separated by seas

Much of it is now made up by present-day Indonesia and Philippines

An illustration of an Illanun pirate boat. Piracy was common in island Southeast Asia.

Birth of Civilisations

– Began around 6000 BCE in villages

near rivers and seas– People were hunters and

fishermen

By 200 BCE, Indian and Chinese traders came to Southeast Asia and the villages served as resting points.

Some grew into port cities e.g. Oc-eo

Oc-eo (1st–6th century CE)

First major port city

Capital of Funan

Grew because of trade and its strategic location

Became less important with the rise of

Palembang

The extent of Funan

Palembang(7th–13th century CE)

Located in present-day Sumatra

Capital of Srivijaya

Grew because of trade and its strategic location

Declined in importance after 13th century CE, when traders went directly to East Java to trade

The extent of Srivijaya

What were the features of Southeast Asian

civilisations?

Government

Ruled by kings

Assisted by officials

A Malay sultan (king)

Variety of Occupations

Traders

Farmers

Priests

Craftsmen

OfficialsA 15th century tin coin used by traders in Melaka

Writing

Adopted Sanskrit from traders

Sanskrit poems from India. Southeast Asian rulers and officials adopted this script for records.

Developed own scripts, e.g. Jawi

The Jawi alphabet

Cosmopolitan

Angkor Wat in Angkor, Cambodia

Buddhist temple in Pagan, Myanmar

Kampong Kling mosque, Melaka

Various cultures and religions

Some Powerful Southeast Asian Kingdoms

Funan (1st–6th century CE)

Srivijaya (7th–13th century CE)

Majapahit (800–1432 CE)

Melaka (1403–1511 CE)