lacquerware journeys

First published and distributed in 2012 by River Books 396 Maharaj Road, Tatien, Bangkok 10200Tel: (66 2) 224-6686, 225-0139, 225-4963 Fax: (66 2) 225-3861 E-mail: [email protected]

A River Books Production.Copyright text and collective work © River Books 2012.Copyright photographs © River Books 2012.Except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN 978 616 7339 23 8

Editor Narisa ChakrabongsePhotography Paisarn PiammattawatDesign Narisa Chakrabongse and Suparat Sudcharoen

Printed and bound in Thailand by

Preface 5-11Introduction 12-16How do lacquerware and it’s colors come into being ? 17- 21 The resin of htanaung tree (Acacia leucophloea) or thethe major ingredient of multi-colored and incised lacquerware The resin of tamar tree (Azadirachta indica) the major ingredientof Shwezawa lacquerware 22-33

Lower Myanmar Lacquerware(1) Karen Lacquerware 34-37(2) Bago(Pegu)& Nyaunglaypin 38-49(3) Pyay ( Prome) lacquerware 50-57

Upper Myanmar Lacquerware(1) Bagan lacquerware 58-99(2) Gadu-Ganan lacquerware 100-115(3) Kyaukka lacquerware 116-126(4) Inwa lacquerware 127-143(5) Mandalay Lacquerware 144-161(6) Nwaku Lacquerware 162-167

Lacquerware of Shan states(7) Laikha lacquerware 168-190(8) Mongnai Lacquerware 191-197(9)Lacquerware of Inle lake area 198-212 (10) Keng Tung lacquerware 213-240

Lacquerware of Rakhine state

(11) Lacquerware of Mrauk-Oo and other areas 241-257(12) Instruments for making lacquerware 258-260(13) Bibliography 261-262(14) Glossary 263-266(15) Collection Index 267

Contents

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/12/55 BE 9:31 AM Page 4

First published and distributed in 2012 by River Books 396 Maharaj Road, Tatien, Bangkok 10200Tel: (66 2) 224-6686, 225-0139, 225-4963 Fax: (66 2) 225-3861 E-mail: [email protected]

A River Books Production.Copyright text and collective work © River Books 2012.Copyright photographs © River Books 2012.Except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN 978 616 7339 23 8

Editor Narisa ChakrabongsePhotography Paisarn PiammattawatDesign Narisa Chakrabongse and Suparat Sudcharoen

Printed and bound in Thailand by

Preface 5-11Introduction 12-16How do lacquerware and it’s colors come into being ? 17- 21 The resin of htanaung tree (Acacia leucophloea) or thethe major ingredient of multi-colored and incised lacquerware The resin of tamar tree (Azadirachta indica) the major ingredientof Shwezawa lacquerware 22-33

Lower Myanmar Lacquerware(1) Karen Lacquerware 34-37(2) Bago(Pegu)& Nyaunglaypin 38-49(3) Pyay ( Prome) lacquerware 50-57

Upper Myanmar Lacquerware(1) Bagan lacquerware 58-99(2) Gadu-Ganan lacquerware 100-115(3) Kyaukka lacquerware 116-126(4) Inwa lacquerware 127-143(5) Mandalay Lacquerware 144-161(6) Nwaku Lacquerware 162-167

Lacquerware of Shan states(7) Laikha lacquerware 168-190(8) Mongnai Lacquerware 191-197(9)Lacquerware of Inle lake area 198-212 (10) Keng Tung lacquerware 213-240

Lacquerware of Rakhine state

(11) Lacquerware of Mrauk-Oo and other areas 241-257(12) Instruments for making lacquerware 258-260(13) Bibliography 261-262(14) Glossary 263-266(15) Collection Index 267

Contents

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/12/55 BE 9:31 AM Page 4

Lacquerware JourneysThe Untold Story of Burmese Lacquer

Than Htun (Dedaye)

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/13/55 BE 2:19 PM Page 2

Lacquerware JourneysThe Untold Story of Burmese Lacquer

Than Htun (Dedaye)

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/13/55 BE 2:19 PM Page 2

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/13/55 BE 2:20 PM Page 4

It was more than three years since I finished writing my first book on “ Auspicioussymbols and ancient coins of Myanmar”. Although I was quite eager to write the sec-ond book on early and unusual lacquerwares of Myanmar, I was worried about thedifficulties that lay ahead. Even the good quality lacquerwares that I have collected,could not motivate me enough to start writing. In fact, books on Myanmar lacquer-ware written in English were already published and studied by many enthusiasts fromdifferent countries. All I can do is to fill the gap of information on tribal lacquerwarewhich was not yet provided by earlier scholars. Neither local and foreign researchershave treated this subject due to official travel restrictions within Myanmar. And it willnot excite the interest of the readers unless I can give them new information andinteresting controversial theories on the origins of tribal lacquerwares. On the otherhand, to know tribal lacquerwares requires one to go to its roots which are found inmostly inaccessible and incommunicable areas. The biggest problem is that their lac-querware industries became obsolete half a century ago or earlier and it is very diffi-cult to trace the locations of lacquerware workshops and their masters. Although Imade many trips myself, I have to rely on other people who can stay and enquiremore further. Once I obtained an interesting information, I have to send a saavyfriend to confirm the facts. When I knew that it was a fruitful information, I wentthere myself to dig more. In fact, I am more interested in finding the cultural connec-tion between the tribes of Myanmar than the technique of how the artifacts werecrafted. By looking at the designs and shapes of lacquerware art pieces, we can sur-mise the evolutionary trends and cross- cultural relations among the tribes ofMyanmar including Burmese.

Most of the records from Mandalay palace were destroyed during the Britishoccupation and researchers find it very difficult to study commercial activities ofMyanmar tribes even though it endured for 150 to 200 years, or the entire length ofKonbaung dynasty. The most informative five volume book written by Sir GeorgeScott “ Gazetteer of Upper Burma and Shan state” and some books written by variouslocal and foreign authors can serve as guides to the inside story of Myanmar commer-cial activities during the British occupation period. But some of the lacquerwaresfrom tribal areas were crafted for two hundred years and were sold to public or pre-sented to important people and officials of neighboring areas and in old capitals suchas Inwa, Amarapura and Mandalay. That is why we are finding a few of exotic GaduGanan ( Banmauk- Monyin-Wuntho) style lacquerware art objects in the Inwa areatoday. ((Though the designs on those lacquerwares are quite different from designs ofconventional Bagan lacquerware from 1920 until after the second world war, they aremore or less similar to pre-1920 lacquerware art objects)). We can at least surmisethat in regards to the lacquerware, there was a cross- cultural connection betweenShan or Gadu Ganan areas (BMW) and Bagan since 1800 A.D or earlier. After 1900sthe lacquerware industry of Gadu Ganan areas disappeared for unknown reasons,leaving the Shan lacquerware industry ( Laikha and Mongnai ), Rakhine and Karenlacquerware of Kyaukkyi as the only tribal lacquerware industries outside of Bagan.Sadly, Laikha and Mongnai lacquer workshops managed to survive barely due to adecrease in demand of lacquerwares when metal and plastic utilities intruded themarket after the second world war. Bagan lacquerware workshops suffered the samefate and only after 1988, were they back on track because of the open market econo-my and booming tourist industry. The information that I have collected on lacquer-wares of Gadu Ganan is still in the infancy as travelling in this area is extremely diffi-cult . You need to be physically strong to hang on to jumping motorcycles carryingyou from one place to another. There is no other means of transport and four and fivehours on a motor cycle on rough dirt roads is not an easy task . After holding yourhands to the cold steel frame for hours, you do not feel a thing anymore.

Preface

Caption

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/13/55 BE 2:20 PM Page 6

It was more than three years since I finished writing my first book on “ Auspicioussymbols and ancient coins of Myanmar”. Although I was quite eager to write the sec-ond book on early and unusual lacquerwares of Myanmar, I was worried about thedifficulties that lay ahead. Even the good quality lacquerwares that I have collected,could not motivate me enough to start writing. In fact, books on Myanmar lacquer-ware written in English were already published and studied by many enthusiasts fromdifferent countries. All I can do is to fill the gap of information on tribal lacquerwarewhich was not yet provided by earlier scholars. Neither local and foreign researchershave treated this subject due to official travel restrictions within Myanmar. And it willnot excite the interest of the readers unless I can give them new information andinteresting controversial theories on the origins of tribal lacquerwares. On the otherhand, to know tribal lacquerwares requires one to go to its roots which are found inmostly inaccessible and incommunicable areas. The biggest problem is that their lac-querware industries became obsolete half a century ago or earlier and it is very diffi-cult to trace the locations of lacquerware workshops and their masters. Although Imade many trips myself, I have to rely on other people who can stay and enquiremore further. Once I obtained an interesting information, I have to send a saavyfriend to confirm the facts. When I knew that it was a fruitful information, I wentthere myself to dig more. In fact, I am more interested in finding the cultural connec-tion between the tribes of Myanmar than the technique of how the artifacts werecrafted. By looking at the designs and shapes of lacquerware art pieces, we can sur-mise the evolutionary trends and cross- cultural relations among the tribes ofMyanmar including Burmese.

Most of the records from Mandalay palace were destroyed during the Britishoccupation and researchers find it very difficult to study commercial activities ofMyanmar tribes even though it endured for 150 to 200 years, or the entire length ofKonbaung dynasty. The most informative five volume book written by Sir GeorgeScott “ Gazetteer of Upper Burma and Shan state” and some books written by variouslocal and foreign authors can serve as guides to the inside story of Myanmar commer-cial activities during the British occupation period. But some of the lacquerwaresfrom tribal areas were crafted for two hundred years and were sold to public or pre-sented to important people and officials of neighboring areas and in old capitals suchas Inwa, Amarapura and Mandalay. That is why we are finding a few of exotic GaduGanan ( Banmauk- Monyin-Wuntho) style lacquerware art objects in the Inwa areatoday. ((Though the designs on those lacquerwares are quite different from designs ofconventional Bagan lacquerware from 1920 until after the second world war, they aremore or less similar to pre-1920 lacquerware art objects)). We can at least surmisethat in regards to the lacquerware, there was a cross- cultural connection betweenShan or Gadu Ganan areas (BMW) and Bagan since 1800 A.D or earlier. After 1900sthe lacquerware industry of Gadu Ganan areas disappeared for unknown reasons,leaving the Shan lacquerware industry ( Laikha and Mongnai ), Rakhine and Karenlacquerware of Kyaukkyi as the only tribal lacquerware industries outside of Bagan.Sadly, Laikha and Mongnai lacquer workshops managed to survive barely due to adecrease in demand of lacquerwares when metal and plastic utilities intruded themarket after the second world war. Bagan lacquerware workshops suffered the samefate and only after 1988, were they back on track because of the open market econo-my and booming tourist industry. The information that I have collected on lacquer-wares of Gadu Ganan is still in the infancy as travelling in this area is extremely diffi-cult . You need to be physically strong to hang on to jumping motorcycles carryingyou from one place to another. There is no other means of transport and four and fivehours on a motor cycle on rough dirt roads is not an easy task . After holding yourhands to the cold steel frame for hours, you do not feel a thing anymore.

Preface

Caption

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/13/55 BE 2:20 PM Page 6

in the 17th century and took back twenty Yun tribal people who were experts inlacquer crafts. When I asked this source of the information, he said that it was carriedby word of mouth. But there are many different groups of tribal people in ShanStates whose tribal name start with the lettet Y. Even the name of Thailand inBurmese language starts with the letter Y ( Yodaya) and the nearest province of Chinato Myanmar is also called Yunnan. Although lacquerwares were called as Yun inBurmese language, it does not mean that lacquerware art has something to do withYun tribe who took part in building pagoda of 28 images near Laikha which stillexists . Sai Htun Lwin said that they might also introduce the art of crafting incisedlacquerwares in Shan state. But there is a serious drawback in this statement. First,Yun could be the general term to call tribes of the indigenous people who live inSouthern Shan State where many tribal names start with the letter Y. At one pointin history, officials of a Myanmar king might have given the name “Yun” to incisedand designed lacquerware as they were products of north eastern region where manytribes were named Yun Shan, Yin baung, Yin Gyar, Yin padone, Yin, Yin Net(etc).According to Razawuntha Zalini ( new Bagan history) written by U Bae, retired offi-cial of archaeological department, Mon Khmer people who are living in Cambodiaand Laos are called Yun. Another possibility is that Myanmar king or his officialsmight give this name to honor the earlier existence of incised and designed lacquer-ware of Yunnan or China. When I was young, all the beverages of Myanmar werecalled Bilat Yay, as they recognized the earlier existence of beverages in England. Thename Bilat represents England in colonial times and Yay is water for all times. InMyanmar ,people used to add two preexisting meanings to invent a new one. That ishow incised lacquerware and the name “Yun-hte” became synonymous.

Again accomodation is quite poor in these areas although monasteries can offersome comfort.The most difficult part is not knowing the exact area to start . There areno ancient city sites except Monyin which is not a large city by any means. It is some-thing like finding a needle in haystack. Sometimes I wonder whether this GaduGanan lacquerware industry really existed in this region. But logical thinking pointsonly this region where most of Phinlone Gaunglone ( domed top and domed bottom)betel boxes are found. The incised paintings on the betel boxes are so outstandingand sophisicated that it is very difficult to think of them as mere folk art. A healthyand extremely long tradition of lacquerware industry was needed to make it happen.If they were Inwa lacquerwares , how could Mr Burney miss such wonderful artworkwhen he was appointed there for six to seven years as an English envoy ? Why arewe not seeing them around the environs of this great city nowadays ? The remoteand heavily wooded region of Banmauk- Monyin- Wuntho where most of these angel-ic masterpieces were found , is more than 200 miles from Inwa. It is even now veryisolated and difficult to reach from any direction . It will be very interesting to findout what kind of people lived there from 1600 to 1900 A.D and who they were ? Onthe other hand, the history of Inwa is the most turbulent in Myanmar history ; didthese lacquer artists run away from Inwa and resettle there ? Were they Tailyan Shan ( Big Shans ) who moved from Shan States ? Why were they extremely good at craft-ing lacquerware betel boxes ?

If they were not Inwa lacquerwares , could these lacquerwares be different prod-ucts of Laikha masters of the 1800s ? Was there a trade route from Laikha to GaduGanan area across the mountains in 1800A.D ? According to living Laikha lacquer-ware masters , at every pagoda festival season, lacquer masters sent out cartloads oflacquerware to sell in different parts of the Shan States during colonial days. So itcould be a tradition which was begun since the times of Shan lords and chiefs beforeEnglish arrived. Can Monyin be one of these destinations though it is not part of theShan states now ? These questions will not be easy to answer. Only systematic andpainstaking research will provide some clues to help draw a cloudy conclusion aboutthe ancient commercial activities of the Shan state, Gadu Ganan people and the mys-terious city of Inwa. Whenever I ask these questions myself, I feel very uneasy giventhe very short time that we had for research. Only elderly people from the concerningareas can answer these questions. To expect the well kept local records should be thelast thing we can do and elderly people are also going to the other side day after day.According to a local young man of Laikha ( Sai Tun Lwin), King Alaungpaya togetherwith some Shan chiefs attacked northern part of Thailand or Southern part of Laos

Caption

Caption Caption

Caption

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/13/55 BE 2:20 PM Page 8

in the 17th century and took back twenty Yun tribal people who were experts inlacquer crafts. When I asked this source of the information, he said that it was carriedby word of mouth. But there are many different groups of tribal people in ShanStates whose tribal name start with the lettet Y. Even the name of Thailand inBurmese language starts with the letter Y ( Yodaya) and the nearest province of Chinato Myanmar is also called Yunnan. Although lacquerwares were called as Yun inBurmese language, it does not mean that lacquerware art has something to do withYun tribe who took part in building pagoda of 28 images near Laikha which stillexists . Sai Htun Lwin said that they might also introduce the art of crafting incisedlacquerwares in Shan state. But there is a serious drawback in this statement. First,Yun could be the general term to call tribes of the indigenous people who live inSouthern Shan State where many tribal names start with the letter Y. At one pointin history, officials of a Myanmar king might have given the name “Yun” to incisedand designed lacquerware as they were products of north eastern region where manytribes were named Yun Shan, Yin baung, Yin Gyar, Yin padone, Yin, Yin Net(etc).According to Razawuntha Zalini ( new Bagan history) written by U Bae, retired offi-cial of archaeological department, Mon Khmer people who are living in Cambodiaand Laos are called Yun. Another possibility is that Myanmar king or his officialsmight give this name to honor the earlier existence of incised and designed lacquer-ware of Yunnan or China. When I was young, all the beverages of Myanmar werecalled Bilat Yay, as they recognized the earlier existence of beverages in England. Thename Bilat represents England in colonial times and Yay is water for all times. InMyanmar ,people used to add two preexisting meanings to invent a new one. That ishow incised lacquerware and the name “Yun-hte” became synonymous.

If they were not Inwa lacquerwares , could these lacquerwares be different prod-ucts of Laikha masters of the 1800s ? Was there a trade route from Laikha to GaduGanan area across the mountains in 1800A.D ? According to living Laikha lacquer-ware masters , at every pagoda festival season, lacquer masters sent out cartloads oflacquerware to sell in different parts of the Shan States during colonial days. So itcould be a tradition which was begun since the times of Shan lords and chiefs beforeEnglish arrived. Can Monyin be one of these destinations though it is not part of theShan states now ? These questions will not be easy to answer. Only systematic andpainstaking research will provide some clues to help draw a cloudy conclusion aboutthe ancient commercial activities of the Shan state, Gadu Ganan people and the mys-terious city of Inwa. Whenever I ask these questions myself, I feel very uneasy giventhe very short time that we had for research. Only elderly people from the concerningareas can answer these questions. To expect the well kept local records should be thelast thing we can do and elderly people are also going to the other side day after day.According to a local young man of Laikha ( Sai Tun Lwin), King Alaungpaya togetherwith some Shan chiefs attacked northern part of Thailand or Southern part of Laos

Caption

Caption Caption

Caption

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/13/55 BE 2:20 PM Page 8

name Bilat represents England in colonial times and Yay is water for all times. InMyanmar ,people used to add two preexisting meanings to invent a new one. That ishow incised lacquerware and the name “Yun-hte” became synonymous.

Secondly, why are we not seeing any lacquerware of this kind from the 17th to 18th century in Laos or Thailand today? The king of Myanmar could have had takendifferent kinds of artisans back to Myanmar as a war booty, but not thousands ofbetel boxes which were already dispersed in different parts of this country. The valueof lacquerware in those days was nothing and there was no point to collect them andtake them back to Myanmar , even if the country the Burmese conquered was the origin of lacquerwares. Out of these thousands of betel boxes, hundreds should havesurvived there to the present time as happened in Myanmar. As a matter of fact,Thailand has incised and colored lacquerware since the 19th century but not earlierand with totally different designs. Logical thinking and historical records of foreignvisitors lead us to conclude that we already have our own incised and colored lacquer-ware since the 17th to 18th centuries in Southern Shan States and Gadu-Gananregion. More different style of lacquerware came out after blending with the tech-niques of artists from abroad. If some scholars surmised that Shwezawa techniquecould have been originated in Chengmai in Northern Thailand and some Shwezawaartisans were brought back to Myanmar by the conquering kings like Bureng Naungor Alaungpaya, it will not be controversial anymore. Again official books on the cul-tural heritage of Thailand never described lacquerware as a main product like otherimportant artistic items of ancient Siam. Dealers in lacquerware of Thailand andMyanmar always point out the Chiang Mai lacquerware as only lacquerware ofThailand ,but not any other pieces from different areas. When we look at Chineselacquerwares of 17th to19th century, incised and carved designs are so different thatthere is little or no chance to say that China is the place of origin of Myanmarincised lacquerwares. On ther other hand, lacquerware with inlaid mother of pearland carved lacquerware is more popular in China than incised lacquerware sinceBagan period or Yuan dynasty. But transmissions of artistic ideas and techniques fromdifferent and grander civilizations cannot be ruled out. On the other hand , thereminder of Saya U Khin Maung Nyunt ( Historical Commission) about culturaltransmissions as two way traffic is truely remarkable. Professor U Khin Maung Nyuntpointed out a fine example on this subject as follows.

Prehistoric wall- paintings in Padalin caves in Southern Shan States of Myanmarhave pictures of wild animals and motifs and symbols of sun , moon and open humanpalms which are quite similar to those of prehistoric caves in Spain. It will be illogical tosay that prehistoric painting originated in Spain and Myanmar copied it or vice versa. Inhistory there are cases of independent cultural development, just as there are cases ofcultural impact and interaction through contact.

In fact , lacquerwares of plain black and red color or combined colors couldhave existed in Myanmar since the Pyu period as it is not difficult to craft likebronze, gold and silverwares. Bamboo artists can exist in many countries where bam-boo grows abundantly and the accidental discovery of the utilitarian quality of lacquersap is quite plausible as all rich and poor familes of the of Southeast Asia dependedon firewood for cooking from the bronze age up to 20th century. When somebodycut the branch of a lacquer tree the black resin will come out to tickle the curiosity ofhumans. Within a couple of years one intellegent person will find out how good is thisresin for coating and protecting bamboo and wood wares against insects and ter-mites. For red color the lacquer artists might buy Hinthapada ( mercuric sulphide)and other red colourants from Chinese merchants or different traders as we had aprosperous trade with Indians and Arabs as well since 2nd to 7th century A.D.Chinese traders who risked their lives coming to Myanmar will bring all profitablestuff with mule caravans including Hinthapada. They might even teach the local people how it can be utilised. To introduce a new product needs advertising whichincludes lectures. Those things can happen easily without waiting for chances or miracles and we can safely conjecture that we had our own plain black and red lacquerware home industry since Pyu period. Because of the perishable nature of

If they were not Inwa lacquerwares , could these lacquerwares be different prod-ucts of Laikha masters of the 1800s ? Was there a trade route from Laikha to GaduGanan area across the mountains in 1800A.D ? According to living Laikha lacquer-ware masters , at every pagoda festival season, lacquer masters sent out cartloads oflacquerware to sell in different parts of the Shan States during colonial days. So itcould be a tradition which was begun since the times of Shan lords and chiefs beforeEnglish arrived. Can Monyin be one of these destinations though it is not part of theShan states now ? These questions will not be easy to answer. Only systematic andpainstaking research will provide some clues to help draw a cloudy conclusion aboutthe ancient commercial activities of the Shan state, Gadu Ganan people and the mys-terious city of Inwa. Whenever I ask these questions myself, I feel very uneasy giventhe very short time that we had for research. Only elderly people from the concerningareas can answer these questions. To expect the well kept local records should be thelast thing we can do and elderly people are also going to the other side day after day.According to a local young man of Laikha ( Sai Tun Lwin), King Alaungpaya togetherwith some Shan chiefs attacked northern part of Thailand or Southern part of Laosin the 17th century and took back twenty Yun tribal people who were experts inlacquer crafts. When I asked this source of the information, he said that it was carriedby word of mouth. But there are many different groups of tribal people in ShanStates whose tribal name start with the lettet Y. Even the name of Thailand inBurmese language starts with the letter Y ( Yodaya) and the nearest province of Chinato Myanmar is also called Yunnan. Although lacquerwares were called as Yun inBurmese language, it does not mean that lacquerware art has something to do withYun tribe who took part in building pagoda of 28 images near Laikha which stillexists . Sai Htun Lwin said that they might also introduce the art of crafting incisedlacquerwares in Shan state. But there is a serious drawback in this statement. First,Yun could be the general term to call tribes of the indigenous people who live inSouthern Shan State where many tribal names start with the letter Y. At one pointin history, officials of a Myanmar king might have given the name “Yun” to incisedand designed lacquerware as they were products of north eastern region where manytribes were named Yun Shan, Yin baung, Yin Gyar, Yin padone, Yin, Yin Net(etc).According to Razawuntha Zalini ( new Bagan history) written by U Bae, retired offi-cial of archaeological department, Mon Khmer people who are living in Cambodiaand Laos are called Yun. Another possibility is that Myanmar king or his officialsmight give this name to honor the earlier existence of incised and designed lacquer-ware of Yunnan or China. When I was young, all the beverages of Myanmar werecalled Bilat Yay, as they recognized the earlier existence of beverages in England. The

3. A water cup from Chiangmai showing theinside woven pattern of bamboo. (H9x W15cm)19th century THC

4. A small amulet or cosmetic box from Chiangmai.Most of the colors and designs are very similarindicating that there were not many workshops inthis area. (19th century) (H 4x W 7cm) THC

5. Lacquer container found from China 200 B.C(note the well known combination of black and red).

6. A Bagan lacquer Be-it cosmetic or hat contain-er from the 1920s or earlier. ( note the famousKhonan-Khanpyat or Kyaungchit design)( H 38 xW 34cm). DNC

7. Lacquer vessel found as broken pieces fromthe Layhmetna pagoda relic chamber ( 11century).In Myanmar, relic chambers of ancient pagodaswere disturbed or deposited with more objectsduring the process of restoration ; few relics canbe dated with any certainty. ( 5cm pieces approx)

1-_CH0_001_023-e1 6/12/55 BE 9:31 AM Page 8