Ceramic head from the Majapahit era

This ceramic head of a Chinese boy dates from the Majapahit Empire (1293-ca.1500). During this period, the Ming dynasty ruled in China. The emperor sent expeditionary voyages over the Indian Ocean to Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia between 1405 and 1433 under the command of Admiral Zheng He. On their voyages, the fleet visited the north coast of Java. Tuban, Gresik and Surabaya were in those days important international harbor cities where, besides Indian and Arab merchants, also a large community of Chinese lived and worked. Ma Huan, a translator who joined several of the voyages, wrote about his encounters with the Chinese settlers, who came mainly from Guandong and Fujian, in his reports. Zheng He, or Cheng Ho as he is usually referred to in Indonesian, is still a legendary figure in some places. Every year the anniversary of Zheng He’s arrival in Semarang is celebrated at the Sam Po Kong temple.

East Java; mid-14th –15th century; earthenware