As expected, not much, yet. There aren’t many channels devoted to archaeology, [...]]]> Last week, Apple announced a revamped iBooks and iTunes U service aimed at bringing textbooks and course materials to the iPad. There’s a fair buzz in the education circles, but how much content is there relating to the archaeology of Southeast Asia?

As expected, not much, yet. There aren’t many channels devoted to archaeology, much less to the archaeology of Southeast Asia. But if you dig deeper, you might be able to find a couple of good lectures and material. Here’s my list of so 7 far:

• Sacred Lands, Sacred Traditions: The arts of Southeast Asia and the Himalayas – a 2005 lecture series by the Society of Asian Art at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Covers topics of the art of Thailand and Indonesia in particular, and the art of early Southeast Asia.
• Southeast Asia-China Interaction – from the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. The lecture series covers a wide variety of topics from the ancient to the contemporary, but some of the lectures relevant to archaeology include talks on Champa in Vietnam and kiln sites in Cambodia.
• Emerald Cities – Another series by the Asian Art Museum, focused on a 2009-2010 exhibition focused on the art of 18-20th century Thailand and Myanmar.
• South and Southeast Asia before 1200 – Part of lecture series on art by Maggie Hobson-Baker of the Montogomery County Community College.
• Arts of Southeast Asia Documentaries – Another one from the Asian Art Museum, one of the the three podcasts in this series is about the temple mountains of Cambodia.
• World Audio Cambodia – Sounds, music and stories from Cambodia. Not exactly archaeological, but there are some locations featured.
• Passport to Asia – Asian Art Museum Lecture series 2008-2009. A wide variety of subjects on Asian sites, but two lectures on Pagan (Myanmar), Borobudur (Indonesia) and the Royal Road of Angkor (Cambodia/Thailand).

That’s a start. It’s not quite seven lectures, as some of the links contain more than one lecture! Do you know of any other content in iTunes U that is related to Southeast Asian Archaeology?

photo credit: Justyn™

Angkor Wat, Borobudur temple to become sister sites, says official Jakarta Post, 16 January 2012

Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple in [...]]]> The tourism departments of Indonesia and Cambodia are in discussions to make Angkor Wat and Borobodur sister sites, and promote bilateral tourism by opening air routes between the two cities.

photo credit: Justyn™

Angkor Wat, Borobudur temple to become sister sites, says official
Jakarta Post, 16 January 2012

Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap and Indonesia’s Borobudur temple in Central Java are to become sister sites, according to an official.

Head of Indonesian delegation I Gusti Putu Laksaguna said on Thursday that the proposal had been agreed by both Cambodian and Indonesian tourism ministers during a bilateral meeting at the ASEAN Tourism Forum at the Grand Kawanoa Convention Center in Manado, North Sulawesi.

Full story here.

Cambodia

photo credit: k0a1a.net

Borobudur Can Be Visited In New Year’s Holiday Bernama, 29 November 2010

Borobudur temple, which was covered by Merapi ashes several days ago, was ready [...]]]> The head of the Borobudur Heritage Conservation Association reports that the cleanup of the ancient monument will be completed in time for the new year.

photo credit: k0a1a.net

Borobudur Can Be Visited In New Year’s Holiday
Bernama, 29 November 2010

Borobudur temple, which was covered by Merapi ashes several days ago, was ready for being visited by tourists in New Year’s holiday, Indonesia’s Antara news agency quoted the Head of Borobudur Heritage Conservation Association Marsis Sutopo as saying here Sunday.

“We have targeted that volcanic ashes and sand can be cleared from the temple by mid-December. Therefore, in the New Year’s holiday, the guests can come to see Borobudur and step onto its 10th floor,” he said.

As a result of Mount Merapi’s eruptions, the volcanic ashes and sand covered Borobudur temple with a thickness of 2.5 centimeters.

The Borobudur Garden Tourism was closed during the ash rain due to the volcano’s eruptions from October to early November, he said.

photo credit: k0a1a.net

Indonesia’s Borobudur Rising From the Ashes Jakarta Globe, 21 November 2010

The major eruption of Mount Merapi on Nov. 5, which blanketed [...]]]> Authorities make the best with what they have in the cleanup of Borobudur from corrosive volcanic ash and the race to have everything open for the tourist season.

photo credit: k0a1a.net

Indonesia’s Borobudur Rising From the Ashes
Jakarta Globe, 21 November 2010

The major eruption of Mount Merapi on Nov. 5, which blanketed surrounding areas in volcanic ash, poses a serious and ongoing threat to ancient temple complexes such as Borobudur.

Officials are concerned the acidic soot will hasten the wearing of the temples, Borobudur in particular, which is covered in up to 3 centimeters of ash.

The site was closed to the public after the eruptions began on Oct. 26, while the government has sent workers in to clean up the temple complex.

“Since Nov. 11, we’ve taken emergency action to keep Borobudur clear of ash by cleaning up 72 stupas and the main stupa, and wrapping them in plastic,” Junus Satrio Atmojo, the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s head of historical and archeological sites, said Saturday.

Volcanic Ash a Threat to Borobudur Jakarta Globe, 29 October 2010

Volcanic ash that has fallen like heavy [...]]]> Volcanic ash from the eruption of Mt Merapi earlier this week has coated Borobudur in white; the authorities have closed parts of the Buddhist monument for about a week to sweep away the acidic ash.

Volcanic Ash a Threat to Borobudur
Jakarta Globe, 29 October 2010

Volcanic ash that has fallen like heavy rain onto a 9th-century temple complex is threatening one of Indonesia’s most popular tourist attractions, officials said Friday.

Parts of the famed Borobudur temples have been closed to the public so workers can clean off the blanket of white ash from Mount Merapi, which began erupting Tuesday.

Antiquities experts are concerned the acidic soot will speed the decay of the stones, said Marsis Sutopo, head of the temple conservation office.

Visitors can still enter the outside yard to the temples but won’t be able to go inside the gates until at least next week, officials said. A Mahakarya Borobudur traditional dance performance will go on as scheduled Saturday.

photo credit: hildo trazo

The temples of Yogyakarta have it The Star, 04 September 2010

When in Yogyakarta, you don’t want to miss Java’s twin gems of Hindu and Buddhist treasures — Prambanan and Borobudur.

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A [...]]]> The Star’s travel feature on the two must-visit places when in Yogyakarta – Prambanan and Borobudur.

photo credit: hildo trazo

The temples of Yogyakarta have it
The Star, 04 September 2010

When in Yogyakarta, you don’t want to miss Java’s twin gems of Hindu and Buddhist treasures — Prambanan and Borobudur.

…

A lot of restoration work has gone into Borobudur and especially Prambanan which suffered extensive damage after the May 2006 earthquake in Java. In fact, many of the inner temples are still out of bounds to visitors because they are not structurally safe.

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Borobudur still impressed. Sure, it is nowhere as extensive as Angkor Wat but it has a certain charm of its own.

This 9th century Mahayana Buddhist monument has six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The main dome located at the centre of the top platform is surrounded by 72 Buddhas.

Borobudur was restored between 1975 and 1982. The temple is 40km northwest of Jogja, and the view you get from the top is incredible. The whole valley sprawls below it as you take in the fantastic 360° view. There were many visitors when we were there but not too many. We still got that sense of calm and peace at the top.