KUALA LUMPUR: The National Museum is showcasing a collection of up to ninety Asian dragon-patterned artefacts from ancient times in line with the latest Dragon World Exhibition.
The Dragon World Exhibition with the theme Myths and Legends which can be viewed from June 9 to November 9, 2022, presents the story and context behind the nation's dragon history and culture in relation to its symbols or motifs.
Deputy Director of the National Museum Department Mohd Nasrulamiazam Mohd Nasir said one of the rare collections for the exhibition is the 1,800-year-old Martaban jar from Borneo with a dragon carving on it.
"Martaban is an expensive pottery jar originally made in China that is traded in Burma, which is well known for its large storage jars for food, water, clothes, and more."
"Amongst some indigenous groups of Borneo, the martaban is used for secondary burials, in which the deceased is dried to the bone and placed in the martaban before being buried in the ground. This is a common practice in upper-class societies."
"Martaban is also used as a dowry, to pay fines, and depicts the social status of its owner," he said.
Nasrulamiazam stated that the dragon shape on it represents truth, fortune, wisdom, strength and energy. Hence, the dragon figure is a common and sacred motif or theme in almost every Southeast Asian material culture.
Apart from that, among the patterned artefacts displayed at the exhibition are weapons such as keris, swords, cannons, clothing, wood and metal carvings, ceramics and jars, manuscripts, wayang kulit, dragon figurines or sculptures, home furniture, kitchen utensils, quail traps, dragon dance equipment and various other artefacts that have dragon motifs and shapes.
"Most of these artefacts come from Southeast Asia like Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and the majority, 85 per cent are from the Malay Archipelago."
"The picture of the dragon shows that people in the Malay world have believed in dragons since the beginning of history, before major religious beliefs were brought to the archipelago where dragon belief has been practiced."
"The Dayaks of Borneo, for instance, have dragon-shaped boats and dragon sculptures in their longhouses, despite not believing in religion or divinity because they are animists, but they do believe in dragon spirituality."
He added that dragons also come in a cross-cultural context due to the fact that the Malay world is experiencing a process of civilization in which we are becoming the centre of trade as the main route from India and China.
"Malays classify dragons in the context of material culture which are artefacts, for example keris, spears, gongs because they represent faith in luck, spirit, prosperity and protection".
"In the Malay world, it is only a belief because they used to believe in mythology as well," he said.
Nasrulamiazam shared that, in producing materials or objects throughout Malay society or the archipelago, they include philosophical elements in their products.
"For instance, most people see the keris as a weapon, but if we study it in our philosophical context, we find that it has a curved shape, it is carved with a bird's or dragon head, hulu jawa demam and so on, which signifies that it has its own value, aesthetics and art."
"Even in today's world, we can still find that dragons are popular and relevant, whether in the form of movies, apparel, games, accessories and more that have evolved and are classified as universal," he said.
"We want the public to appreciate the greatness of local wisdom in the past through a work of art and technology, especially the dragon decoration."
"I hope the public can all come and learn about the dragon's history, the context of these artefacts, and culture. This exhibition is also open to all, regardless of race or community in Malaysia," he said adding that they want to enliven the National Museum after being closed for almost a year.
"I hope the public can all come and learn about the dragon's history, the context of these artefacts, and culture. This exhibition is also open to all, regardless of race or community in Malaysia," he said adding that they want to enliven the National Museum after being closed for almost a year due to the pandemic of Covid-19.
Nasrulamiazam said the National Museum also holds a permanent exhibition on Malaysian prehistoric, colonial-era and modern Malaysia in their gallery, which is open every day with a RM2 admission fee for Malaysians.