Ancient Indonesian Art

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Indonesian jamu—part of an integrated system of inner and outer health and beauty, encompassing powders, pills, ointments, lotions, massage and ancient folklore—is unknown to most Westerners. How, when, where and why were these treatments developed? And, what is so special about them? Through the pages of this book you’ll learn about the closed world of ancient Javanese palaces where Indonesian jamu was perfected. You meet the healers and jamu makers whose skills have been passed from generation to generation and learn about their cures. Advice is offered on where to find these age-old remedies, including formulae that can be made safely at home. The information here is for people who wish to find out more about Indonesian health and beauty, draw their own conclusions and even try jamu for themselves. [An integrated system of inner and outer health and beauty, Indonesian jamu has a 1,200-year-old history, yet little is known about it outside this diverse island nation. The first book to comprehensively explore the background, materials and application of this holistic approach, Jamu: The Ancient Indonesian Art of Herbal Healing is the culmination of ten years of research] and more than 100 interviews with practitioners and producers—from housewives in kitchen apothecaries to CEOs of multinational corporations. Its publication coincides with the increasing availability in the West of modern preparations of these time-honored herbal remedies. [Encompassing medicine, massage, cosmetics and folklore, jamu is as applicable to today’s lifestyles as it was in the rarefied world of the ancient Javanese palaces where it was perfected.] Complemented by explanatory photographs shot on location, Jamu is the first definitive reference to this exotic yet practical healthcare system.

The book is divided into six sections, each representing a chronological culture area. Most of the study deals with Indian art, but Indonesia and the peripheries of Southeast Asia are covered where they reflect Indian influences. The concentration of the study is upon architecture and sculpture; however, it also encompasses painting, jewellery, textiles, metalwork and other crafts.