November 2010 - National Museum Volunteers

The Dahlem used to be called the
Museum für Indische Kunst, and
justly so, because of the breadth of
its Indian collection. There is also a
superb collection of Chinese classical
bronzes representing every period
and major form, so resplendent
that I spent two hours there photographing
just that small area. There
are also very fine Korean and Chinese
celadons and Korean, Japanese,
and Chinese paintings, including
a recumbent Bodhidharma
clothed in red and brilliant Japanese
folding screens of the four seasons.
The showpiece of North Asian culture
is, however, the complete and
authentic Japanese tea room donated
by the Ura Senke School (the
style that some NMV members, including
myself, practice), where lessons
are regularly conducted and
teas given for the public. Its foregallery
exhibits a fine collection of
old tea ceramics both Korean and
Japanese, and a marvelous motherof-pearl
lacquer inlay tea caddy.
The next International Conference of
the European Association of Southeast
Asian Archaeologists is scheduled
for 2012 at University College,
Dublin, Ireland. I learned so much
from this conference that deepened
my knowledge of Thai and SEA arts,
cultures, and archaeology, that I
encourage NMV members to attend if
you can, because it would be
tremendously worthwhile to you. Hope
to see you there in Dublin in 2012!
Indonesian gamelan and vocal ensemble
On our first evening of the conference,
the German Archaeology Institute
invited us for never-ending wine
and copious hors d’oeuvres within
their hallowed sanctum near the
Freie Universität and midweek we
were hosted by Humboldt University
at their equally revered Cum Laude
rooms after tours of the Dahlem
SEA collection or the Museums
Insel’s Egyptian collection. Closing
ceremonies were graced by an Indonesian
gamelan and vocal ensemble
and Balinese dance at the Dahlem.
Balinese dancer wearing songket skirt
. November 2010 . Newsletter National Museum Volunteers . 23