Common Era Malay Ships Options

[Iron Malayan]

Based on solid evidence gathered,I am fully convinced that the Malays were the first people to build ships of over 1,000 tons.

The report of the Chinese ambassador to Cambodia in 260, Kang Tai, referred to ‘great junks’ with seven sails, belonging to a Malayan or Indonesian state, which voyaged from the Far East to the Roman empire.... Faxian, the Buddhist pilgrim who went to India by land via the silk road in 399, returned to China by sea. He had no difficulty in finding ‘a large merchant-vessel on which there were over two hundred souls’ to take him from Ceylon to Java, and a similar ship to carry him on to Canton. From both east and west, the picture is of a regular, well-established traffic, in particular areas on some scale, using the best shipping of the day 
http://www.upf.es/materials/huma/central/h...als/adshead.htm

Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mention large ships called Colandia sailing from India to Chryse (Malay Peninsula) in the first century CE.

http://www.earth-history.com/India/periplus.htm

Seven masted ancient ships were usually around 2,300 tons with a crew of 650.



An early 16th century Potuguese artist's rendering of Malay ships (Lopo Homen Atlas 1518)

Through the entire first millenium, Malay ships called jongs reigned supreme in the Pacific and Indian oceans.No other race have dominated the oceans for so long.By the 13th century the Chinese managed to catch up in terms of size but their ships were still of the junk type.The construction of magnificent Malay ships gradually ceased with the arrival of revolutionary designs from Europe in the 16th century.Malay ships up to that point were not designed to carry heavy guns on the sides since it was never a good idea for other Asians to attack tall Malay ships carrying hundreds of tough crew members and marines.

A naval engagement between a jong from Aceh and 19 Portuguese ships on their way to attack Malacca in 1511 underscored the difficulties facing any attackers.

Her sides were so high that no one dared board her from any of the Portuguese ships;naos,caravellas and gales and she remained unscathed by the Portuguese fire because she had four layers of sheathing and the largest Portuguese artillery could only penetrate two.At length the governor sent out his own nao the Flor de la Mar.Inspite of this the jong managed to fend of the Portuguese attacks for two days and two nights and only succumbed when the Portuguese succeeded in removing her rudders which she carried outside as on the barges of Ribatejo
Gaspar Correia 1511

Asian ships were long accustomed to utilizing the entire space on board for cargo and passengers and were caught unprepared to deal with heavily armed Portuguese naos.This is the reason for Portuguese initial successes in SE Asia but once a Malay power, Aceh, copied their ship design, they lost their advantage at sea and were forced into the defensive.



This early 17th century drawing by Godinho de Eredia depicts the siege of Malacca by Aceh.
We can see five small Aceh galleons lining up to trade broadsides with a large Portuguese galleon while another two are firing their stern chasers (rear guns) at the same Portuguese ship.

The Aceh navy was indoctrinated in the Ottoman's style of naval warfare which emphasized the role of large galleys. Galleons were kept small and given secondary roles. Galleons built by Aceh never seemed to exceed 200 tons.The biggest galley therefore has always been the flagship of the Aceh navy.

Since Malay jongs were defenseless against Portuguese naos,they ceased to be built in early 16th century. Malays were forced to build smaller and faster ships. Only Aceh managed to copy European designs due to their close ties with the Ottoman Empire.

By the 17th century, more Malay powers acquired the knowledge to build European style ships.The top tier Malay trading powers were Aceh,Banten,Palembang and Makassar.These kingdoms became extremely wealthy by pepper and spice trading that they were befriended by European powers such as England,France,Denmark,the Ottoman Empire and even Portugal(in Makassar).These European powers may have shared some technical knowledge with their Malay allies in order to counter the strength of the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC).

Middle tier Malay powers like Johor and Jambi only had frigate type ships called grabs (ghorabs) as their biggest warships.According to the book History of Johor by RO Winstedt, 17th century Johor had between 100-200 units of two and three masted grabs.

Since I can't find pictures of Malay grabs, these pics of Indian ones give us some idea of what they looked like.It is worth noting that Indians only began building grabs in the 18th century.





This post has been edited by Iron Malayan: Jan 15 2005, 03:49 AM

[Tenjikuronin]

It is worth noting that Indians only began building grabs in the 18th century. 

Actually, as far as I know, Indians had been and were building grabs before the 18th century, with one of the earliest records being from 1632.

http://www.bibliomania.com/2/3/260/1286/20...1/frameset.html

[Iron Malayan]

Some 17th century Moghul ships like the 40 gun Ganj-i-Sawai were huge.

Actually, as far as I know, Indians had been and were building grabs before the 18th century, with one of the earliest records being from 1632.

http://www.bibliomania.com/2/3/260/1286/20...1/frameset.html

BTW I can't find anything in this link stating that grabs were built by Indians in the 17th century.

[Tenjikuronin]

Some 17th century Moghul ships like the 40 gun Ganj-i-Sawai were huge.


BTW I can't find anything in this link stating that grabs were built by Indians in the 17th century.

My appologies, I accidentally gave you the date 1632, when it was actually 1684.

But what I was reffereing to on that link was the following entry....

[1684.—“The Mucaddam [MOCUDDUM] of this shibar bound for Goa.”—Yule, in Hedges’ Diary, Hak. Soc. II. clxv.; also see clxxxiv.

The above entry was written by an observer who was stating that The Mucaddam of the shibar (which is a equivalent to a half garb) is headed for Goa. The fact that an observer (most likely British from the name) is observeing an Indian Muccadam heading to Goa in a shibar, shows that shibars were at least being made and used in 1684.

[Protoculture]

Kudos to you Iron Malayan .....

Darn, now I know the majestic Malay naval power which last time was limlited to text or verbal version only, but the firepower as provided by the images show our supremacies in Sout East Asia's waterways long ago ....

What a pity that both Malaysia & Indonesia no longer have such powerful navies as being fielded by our great ancestors ....

[Iron Malayan]

Vessels used for regional shipping and fishing in 16th century Java.

[Nusantara]

Phinisi (also Pinishi and Pinisi) is a traditional Indonesian ship similar to those which have sailed the Indonesian archipelago for a thousand years mostly built by Bugisnese/Makasar from Sulawesi.

All about these Galeon/Vessel/Ship built by Indonesian and Malaysian showing us how superior and sohisticated Indonesian and Malaysian culture even long before the pre-islamic/hindu/budhist culture.

These people have ruled the sea in Asia reach to Madagascar since thousand years ago.

[Iron Malayan]

17th century Palembang. The cluster of large European style galleons in the center are marked as "Kings Biggest Ships" while smaller ships on the extreme right are the "Kings Vessels"

[HangPC2]

Kanu Laut (Kelantan)



Baranggay (Mindanao & Sulu)



Kapal Layar ( Pantai Timur)



http://img429.imageshack.us/img429/2569/ma...alayeast0ts.gif

Kolek Lumba Kaki (Singapura)



Kolek Melayu @ Kanu Laut



Kanu Nelayan (Singapura)



Sampan Singapura (Singapura)



Tongkang Singapura (Singapura)



Kanu Nelayan Singora (Singora)



Kapal Layar Bugis (Bugis Makassar)

[HangPC2]

Kapal Layar Naga Pelangi



http://www.naga-pelangi.de/Naga_2/malay/history_my.htm




Sources : http://www.naga-pelangi.de/

[dreamhunter]

Phinisi (also Pinishi and Pinisi) is a traditional Indonesian ship similar to those which have sailed the Indonesian archipelago for a thousand years mostly built by Bugisnese/Makasar from Sulawesi.

All about these Galeon/Vessel/Ship built by Indonesian and Malaysian showing us how superior and sohisticated Indonesian and Malaysian culture even long before the pre-islamic/hindu/budhist culture.

These people have ruled the sea in Asia reach to Madagascar since thousand years ago.

First of all, bravo to Iron Malayan for giving us stuff, in the form of hard evidence, to remind us Malays of ancient Malay glory. We need that as motivation to re-elevate our Malay nation to heights it had once achieved before.

Now, about the Phinisi/Pinishi/Pinisi ship, could that have been inspired by the renown Finukh (Phoenician) ships of ancient Lebanon, hence its name?

[maldini]

First of all, bravo to Iron Malayan for giving us stuff, in the form of hard evidence, to remind us Malays of ancient Malay glory. We need that as motivation to re-elevate our Malay nation to heights it had once achieved before.

as i always said, what's the point of proud over the history? in fact, if i were u i would have ashame with myself why others can progress a lot better even though we were a lot better than them previously? with so much advantages in msia alone, yet you still cant compete with others...

[allah]

First of all, bravo to Iron Malayan for giving us stuff, in the form of hard evidence, to remind us Malays of ancient Malay glory. We need that as motivation to re-elevate our Malay nation to heights it had once achieved before.

Now, about the Phinisi/Pinishi/Pinisi ship, could that have been inspired by the renown Finukh (Phoenician) ships of ancient Lebanon, hence its name?

What ancient glory ?your glory are in the jungle.

[kumanddie]

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This post has been edited by kumanddie: Mar 17 2011, 07:24 PM

[dreamhunter]

What ancient glory ?your glory are in the jungle.

If you Siamese hadn't conspired with the Portuguese to bring down Malacca, we would have invaded n conquered your glorious Ayutthaya, whose culture you plagiarised from the Mon n the Khmer, which you're still plagiarising to this day.

[dreamhunter]

as i always said, what's the point of proud over the history? in fact, if i were u i would have ashame with myself why others can progress a lot better even though we were a lot better than them previously? with so much advantages in msia alone, yet you still cant compete with others...

Yes. So it's only Chinese people who r allowed to be proud of their history n culture. N other peoples r not supposed to be proud of theirs. Cos it's inferior to Chinese culture, eh Maldini?

[allah]

If you Siamese hadn't conspired with the Portuguese to bring down Malacca, we would have invaded n conquered your glorious Ayutthaya, whose culture you plagiarised from the Mon n the Khmer, which you're still plagiarising to this day.

hey stupid malay man,which post i mention i am a thai ,you stupid comment are insult to thai member here ,i just join today and i a muslim,you malay only live in jungle ,portugis only have fewer than 1000 people and manage to defeat malay ,what a useless muslim .

This post has been edited by allah: Feb 21 2008, 02:28 AM

[dreamhunter]

hey stupid malay man,which post i mention i am a thai ,you stupid comment are insult to thai member here ,i just join today and i a muslim,you malay only live in jungle ,portugis only have fewer than 1000 people and manage to defeat malay ,what a useless muslim .

At first I thought you're just a stupid Siam cretin. Now I know you're a stupid, blasphemous Thai Muslim who uses 'Allah' as his nickname. You'd better recite the shahadat again now. N you'd better change our nic. Otherwise, this will be the last time that you'll get a response from me. I'm not going to have anything to do with a guy who calls himself 'Allah' ever again.

[allah]

At first I thought you're just a stupid Siam cretin. Now I know you're a stupid, blasphemous Thai Muslim who uses 'Allah' as his nickname. You'd better recite the shahadat again now. N you'd better change our nic. Otherwise, this will be the last time that you'll get a response from me. I'm not going to have anything to do with a guy who calls himself 'Allah' ever again.

Hey stupid malay ,i not not thai muslim ,i only say i am a muslim ,you malay no wonder a racist people on earth and bring shame to my religion ,Islam .

[kelantanese]

U dont look like a muslim, u cannot use Allah name as ur nick, u r not the GOD. Mod plz ban this user. plz.