History of the Indian Archipelago
Containing an Account of the Manners, Art, Languages, Religions, Institutions, and Commerce of its Inhabitants

Published in 1820, this acclaimed three-volume work offers insight into the peoples and cultures of the Indonesian islands, principally Java.

John Crawfurd (Author)

9781108056144, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 March 2013

558 pages, 9 b/w illus. 1 colour illus. 4 music examples
21.6 x 14 x 3.2 cm, 0.7 kg

Trained as a doctor, John Crawfurd (1783–1868) went on to have a distinguished career in colonial administration with the East India Company. He held senior posts in Java from 1811 to 1816, including that of resident at the court of Yogyakarta. A talented linguist and ethnologist, Crawfurd acquired a sound knowledge of ancient Kawi and contemporary Javanese. Upon his return to Britain in 1817, he became a fellow of the Royal Society and published this three-volume work on the Indonesian islands, principally Java, to great acclaim. Following further service abroad, he published accounts of his various missions in south-east Asia and an encyclopaedic sequel to the present work (all of which are reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection). Volume 1 examines the character and manners of the islanders as well as their arts, sciences, medicine, and agricultural techniques.

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Introduction
Part I. Character: 1. Physical form of the inhabitants of the archipelago
2. Manners and characters of the Indian islanders
3. Domestic ceremonies and familiar usages
4. Games and amusements of the Indian islanders
5. Manners of foreign settlers
Part II. Arts: 1. Useful arts
2. Dress
3. Art of war
Part III. Progress in Science and the Higher Arts: 1. Arithmetic
2. Calendar
3. Navigation and geography
4. Medicine, music
Part IV. Agriculture: 1. General remarks on the husbandry of the Indian islands
2. Husbandry of the materials of food
3. Husbandry of articles of native luxury
4. Husbandry of the materials of native manufactures and arts
5. Husbandry of articles chiefly for foreign exportation.

Subject Areas: Asian history [HBJF]