“Centuries of gems, precious metals, and rare materials . . . color photographs reveal the true artistry of our Eastern neighbors.”—Booklist From the magnificent royal gold jewelry of Burma and Thailand to the simple adornments worn by remote hill peoples, Anne Richter explores the complex cultural landscape of what are now Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Necklaces, buckles, pendants, belts, buttons, ear ornaments, hairpins, anklets, torques, and bracelets are presented in a superb array of images. Richter’s understanding of the underlying symbolism sheds light on Asian cultures, while the aesthetic appeal of the items will make this volume irresistible to all jewelry lovers. This new edition in paperback of the book first published in 2000 concentrates on the color plates and their illuminating captions. A new introduction discusses how the historical background has influenced the jewelry.

Southeast Asian jewelry is eagerly sought by collectors around the globe. Once prized largely for its ethnographic interest, today it is recognized as a high art form. In a tour de force of original research and synthesis, involving years of study and extensive travel throughout the region, Anne Richter gives us the first comprehensive account of a jewelry tradition that stretches across millennia from the vigor of Neolithic and Bronze Age art to the present day.Magnificent gold jewelry of classical Cambodia and Java, a man's ruby-eyed dragon ring from Thailand, silver work of the Vietnamese court, filigree bridal necklaces of Sumatra, jeweled belt buckles and tobacco boxes of Malaysia, royal gold sashes of the pre-Hispanic Philippines, adornment for remote hill peoples -- the more than 300 pieces seen here, many previously unpublished, reveal a jewelry notable for its beauty and rich significance. The analyses of the symbolism shed new light on Asian cultures, while the aesthetic appeal of the items makes this volume irresistible for all jewelry lovers.

Here is a brief, well-written, and lively survey of the history of Southeast Asia from ancient times to the present, paying particular attention to the region's role in world history and the distinctive societies that arose in lands shaped by green fields and forests, blue rivers and seas. Craig Lockard shows how for several millennia Southeast Asians, living at the crossroads of Asia, enjoyed ever expanding connections to both China and India, and later developed maritime trading networks to the Middle East and Europe. He explores how the people of the region combined local and imported ideas to form unique cultures, reflected in such striking creations as Malay sailing craft, Javanese gamelan music, and batik cloth, classical Burmese and Cambodian architecture, and social structures in which women have often played unusually influential roles. Lockard describes colonization by Europeans and Americans between 1500 and 1914, tracing how the social, economic, and political frameworks inherited from the past, combined with active opposition to domination by foreign powers, enabled Southeast Asians to overcome many challenges and regain their independence after World War II. The book also relates how Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam are now among the fastest growing economies in the world and play a critical role in today's global marketplace.

Southeast Asia, that immense region stretching from India to the Far East, encompasses Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar - the former Burma - and Thailand), Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Each country is endowed with its own national artistic identity and its own cultural heritage. At the same time, all gain strength from their common Asian identity. In a series of essays, a group of highly regarded scholars examine the mix of significant influences that have shaped the region's art. Of various nationalities, most have traveled, lived, and taught in Asia and are fluent in one or more Asian languages. Both the educated reader and the expert will find much that is new in these pages.

This thoroughly updated new edition of an already popular text brings together specially-commissioned chapters by leading authorities, rigorously edited to ensure systematic coverage. It provides students with an accessible and up-to-date thematically-structured comparative introduction to Southeast Asia today.

The Chinese in Southeast Asia, with their growing economic clout, have been attracting attention from politicians, scholars and observers in recent decades. The rise of China as a global economic power and its profound influence over Southeast Asia has cast a spotlight on the role of Southeast Asian Chinese in the region''s economic relations with China.The Southeast Asian Chinese as an economic force and their growing importance with China are, to a certain extent, determined by the nature and development of their communities. This book uses a multifaceted approach to unravel the forces that helped to transform the communities in the past. Containing 17 papers written within a span of six and a half years, from 2000 to 2006, the book focuses on the social, economic and political aspects of these communities, with special emphasis on the Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore.

Southeast Asia has sometimes been portrayed as a static place. In the ninth to fourteenth centuries, however, the region experienced extensive trade, bitter wars, kingdoms rising and falling, ethnic groups on the move, the construction of impressive monuments and debate about profound religious issues. Readers of this volume will learn much of how people lived in Southeast Asia five hundred to one thousand years ago; the region today cannot be comprehended without reference to the seminal developments of that period.

This comprehensive history provides a fresh interpretation of Southeast Asia from 100 to 1500, when major social and economic developments foundational to modern societies took place on the mainland (Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam) and the island world (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines). Incorporating the latest archeological evidence and international scholarship, Kenneth R. Hall enlarges upon prior histories of early Southeast Asia that did not venture beyond 1400, extending the study of the region to the Portuguese seizure of Melaka in 1511. Written for a wide audience of non-specialists, the book will be essential reading for all those interested in Asian and world history.

Southeast Asian cuisines, such as Thai, have become quite popular in the United States even though immigrant numbers are low. The food is appealing because it is tasty, attractive, and generally healthful, with plentiful vegetables, fish, noodles, and rice. Food Culture in Southeast Asia is a richly informative overview of the food and foodways of the mainland countries including Burma, Thailand, Lao, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia, and the island countries of Singapore, Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Students and other readers will learn how diverse peoples from diverse geographies feed themselves and the value they place on eating as a material, social, and symbolic act. Chapter 1, Historical Overview, surveys the archaeological and historical evidence concerning mainland Southeast Asia, with emphasis on the Indianized kingdoms of the mainland and the influence of the spice trade on subsequent European colonization. Chapter 2, Major Foods and Ingredients, particularly illuminates the rice culture as the central source of calories and a dominant cultural symbol of feminine nurture plus fish and fermented fish products, local fresh vegetables and herbs, and meat in variable amounts. The Cooking chapter discusses the division of labor in the kitchen, kitchens and their equipment, and the steps in acquiring, processing and preparing food. The Typical Meals chapter approaches typical meals by describing some common meal elements, meal format, and the timing of meals. Typical meals are presented as variations on a common theme, with particular attention to contrasts such as rural-urban and palace-village. Iconic meals and dishes that carry special meaning as markers of ethnic or national identity are also covered. Chapter 6, Eating Out, reviews some of the options for public eating away from home in the region, including the newly developed popularity of Southeast Asian restaurants overseas. The chapter has an urban, middle-class bias, as those are the people who are eating out on a regular basis. The Special Occasions chapter examines ritual events such as feeding the spirits of rice and the ancestors, Buddhist and Muslim rituals involving food, rites of passage, and universal celebrations around the coming of the New Year. The final chapter on diet and health looks at some of the ideologies underlying the relation between food and disease, particularly the humoral system, and then considers the nutritional challenges related to recent changes in local food systems, including food safety.

Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago features more than 500 stunning, never-before published examples of tribal, ethnic, ancient and courtly body ornaments from Indonesia's outer islands - Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, the Lesser Sunda Islands and Maluku. Written by Anne Richter, author of Arts and Crafts of Indonesia and Jewelry of Southeast Asia, and Bruce Carpenter, acknowledged expert with more than 20 years of experience in the field of Indonesian art, history and culture, and more than 16 books to his name, this volume provides a compelling introduction to the little-known visual power and beauty of Indonesian jewellery. Illustrated with archival artwork and maps as well as photos of carefully selected rare ornamental adornments, this book also traces the historical origins of Indonesia's remarkably diverse culture and peoples.