Museum Treasures of Southeast Asia

Museum Treasures of Southeast Asia tells the story of the material cultures of this region through historical artifacts from the permanent collections of the national museums of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, the ten countries which make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Through historical objects created in stone, metal, clay, and fiber, this book traces the history of Southeast Asia back to the origins of man in the region, through the area's stone and metal ages, through the rise and fall of powerful kingdoms, and dynasties, to the evolution and birth of independent nation states, and the eventual formation of ASEAN. Diverse as Southeast Asia is ethnically, culturally, climatically, religiously and politically many common traits exist throughout the region, arising out of the shared histories of the many parts, the commerce between them, and the rise and fall of regional civilizations, empires, kingdoms, and polities. These commonalities shared by the countries and the people of the region form the basis of ties that have spanned centuries and which still exist today. Museum Treasures of Southeast Asia investigates these common roots of the Southeast Asian identity to its origins and early influences through the evolution of local, indigenous cultures. This publication presents a uniquely Southeast Asian perspective on the cultural history of the region. It is an endeavor that has brought together the efforts of various people across Southeast Asia. It captures the bonds of kinship found across this vast and varied region and also reflects the spirit of unity that the ASEAN as a group embodies while demonstrating the strong cultural ties that unify the countries of Southeast Asia.