John N. Miksic
John Norman Miksic is one of Southeast Asia's most prominent archaeologists and the winner of Singapore's first 'Best Book on Singapore History' award in 2017. Sometimes referred to as "the Indiana Jones of Singapore's history," [1] he has been cited as being one of the key figures who has changed historians' impressions of Southeast Asian history. "Through fragments of earthenware, Chinese pottery Indian beads, and Javanese jewelry, Miksic and others have pieced together a new story--one that push[ed] the city's origins back some 500 years before Raffles arrival."[2] As Professor Turnbull of the University of Hong Kong wrote, the work of Professor Miksic and his colleagues "will challenge historians to look at Singapore afresh in an attempt to re-unite twenty-first century Singapore with its distant past."[3] He is perhaps best known for being the archaeologist who identified Singapore's importance as an early major regional port, for literally "identifying it as a centre of commerce and culture in the 14th century."[4]
John Norman Miksic was born in Rochester, New York on 29 October 1946. He relocated permanently to Southeast Asia in 1979 and has been a resident of Singapore since 1987. He is married to Singapore citizen Professor Goh Geok Yian (NTU).
Education and Career
In 1968, he received a B.A. in Anthropology from Dartmouth College (Hanover, New Hampshire). He then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1968 to 1972, then returned to the U.S. to earn an M.A. from the Department of International Affairs, Ohio University (Athens, Ohio) in 1974. Two years later, in 1976, he was awarded a second M.A. from Cornell University's Department of Anthropology, followed by a Ph.D. in January 1979, during which time he was awarded the Lauriston Sharp Award for Best Ph.D Dissertation in the Southeast Asian Studies Program in 1978. Upon graduation, Dr. Miksic worked for USAID as a Rural Development Advisor in Bengkulu, and taught Southeast Asian history and archaeology at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta for six years. In 1987 he moved to Singapore, where he joined the Department of History, National University of Singapore (NUS), and helped to found the Southeast Asian Studies Programme in 1991. He was Head of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies/Yusuf Ishak Institute 2010-2013, and is currently Emeritus Professor, Department of Southeast Asian Studies (NUS) and a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of History, Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
In addition to his academic positions, he has taught at various centres including archaeological field schools, the University of Yangon Department of Archaeology, the Center for Khmer Studies, and the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute. His work is often described as both "impressive" and "inspirational" and he has been described as having "performed a great service for the field, ... one hopes it will inspire future students to take up the study of ancient Southeast Asia."[5]
Other Professional Affiliations
Dr. Miksic has served on a large number of advisory boards and committees including the Asian Cultural Council (New York City, 1981-87), the Lee Kong Chian Art Museum (1991-1993), the National Museum Singapore Museum Development Committee (1990-1992), the Executive Committee of the Field School of Indonesian Archaeology (1989-1993), Book Review editor positions on the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies (1995-1999), the Council of the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society (1989-currently President 2021-), and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Yusuf Ishak Institute (2010-2013). He is known for being generous with both his time and his knowledge, forever encouraging and promoting his students.
Publications: Books & Monographs
Dr. Miksic's publications are so prolific that a search on JSTOR in January 2022 identified 522 search results. A sampling of his more important works follows:
(1) Archaeological Research on the `Forbidden Hill' of Singapore: Excavations at Fort Canning, 1984. Singapore: National Museum, 1985.
(2) Small Finds: Ancient Javanese Gold. Singapore: National Museum 1988. ISBN 9971-917-29-7
(3) Old Javanese Gold. Singapore: Ideations 1990. ISBN 981-00-1622-0, 2nd revised edition. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2011. ISBN 978-0-300-16910-2
(4) Borobudur: Golden Tales of the Buddhas. Singapore: Periplus 1990. ISBN 0-945971-90-7
(5) John N. Miksic, Bambang Soemadio, J.G. de Casparis, Peter Bellwood, Pierre-Yves Manguin, Edi Sedyawati, Jacques Dumaray, Denys Lombard, R. Soekmono, S.O. Robson. Indonesian Heritage. Volume One: Ancient History. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 1996. ISBN 981-3018-26-7
(6) John N. Miksic, Bennet Bronson, Roxanna Brown, and Michael Flecker. The Java Sea Wreck Archaeological Report. Edited by William M. Mathers and Michael Flecker. Annapolis: Pacific Sea Resources, 1997.
(7) John N. Miksic, R.P. Soejono, Roxana Waterson, Jacques Dumarçay, R. Soekmono, and Ronald Gill. Indonesian Heritage. Volume Six: Architecture. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet 1998. ISBN 981-3018-32-1
(8) Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman, John N. Miksic, Kamaludin bin Hasan, Peter Bellwood, Ipoi Datan, and Barbara Watson Andaya. The Encyclopedia of Malaysia. Volume Four: Early History. Singapore: Archipelago Press 1998. ISBN 981-3018-42-9
(9) Malcolm H. Murfett, John N. Miksic, Brian P. Farrell, and Chiang Ming Shun. Between Two Oceans: A Military History of Singapore From First Settlement to Final British Withdrawal. Singapore: Oxford University Press 1999. ISBN 0 19 588482 5 Revised Edition: published as Between Two Oceans. A Military History of Singapore from 1275 to 1971. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2010. PP. xxii, 520. ISBN 978-981-4302-88-3. Reviewed in Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 44,1 (February 2013): 189-190 by James C. Bradford. Chinese Translation: Sin Jia Po Li Shi Yuan Mao: The Original Face of Singapore History. Translated by Chan Sun Chai and Chang Chin Chiang. Singapore: Asiapac Books Pte. Ltd. 2011. 978-981-229-590-3
(10) The Mysteries of Borobudur: Discover Asia Series. Singapore: Periplus Editions. 1999-01-15 ISBN: 9625931988 ISBN-13:978-9625931982
(11) Historical Dictionary of Ancient Southeast Asia. Lanham; Toronto; Plymouth: Scarecrow Press. 2007. Pp. xlix, 497. ISBN-13: 978-0-8108-5522-9; ISBN-10: 0-8108-5522-4. Reprinted as The A to Z of Ancient Southeast Asia. Lanham; Toronto; Plymouth: Scarecrow Press. 2010. Pp. lvi, 495. ISBN 978-0-8108-7568-5
(12) John N. Miksic and Kamei Meitoku. Research on Ceramics Discovered at the Trowulan Site in Indonesia. Tokyo: Senshu University. 2010
(13) Benitez-Johannot, Purissima, Peter Bellwood, Truman Simanjuntak, Edi Sedyawati, Eusebio Dizon, Fiona Kerlog, John N. Miksic et al. Paths of Origins. The Austronesian Heritage in the Collections of the National Museum of the Philippines, the Museum Nasional Indonesia and the Netherlands Rijksmuseum voor Völkenkunde. Manila: ArtPost Asia. ISBN 9789719429203
(14) John N. Miksic, Judi Achjadi, Fadil Aziz, Gaura Mancacaritadipura, Helly Minarti, J. Stephen Lansing, Julianti Parani, Therese de Vet, and Julia Nicole Watson. World Heritage Sites and Living Culture of Indonesia. Jakarta: Ministry of Education and Culture, Republic of Indonesia. 2012. ISBN 978-979-1274-59-3
(15) The Court of Surakarta. Jakarta: BAB Publishing Indonesia. 2012. ISBN 978-979-8926-28-0
(16) Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea 1300-1800. Singapore: NUS Press/National Museum of Singapore. 2013. ISBN 978 9971 695583. Project Muse https://muse.jhu.edu/book/27544 Winner of the inaugural prize for best book on Singapore history, 2017
(17) John Miksic, Uli Kozok, Thomas Hunter, Waruno Mahdi A 14th Century Malay Code of Laws. The Nītisārasamuccaya. Singapore: ISEAS, 2015. ISBN (hardcover) 978-981-4459-74-7; Ebook PDF 978-981-4459-75-4
(18) John Miksic, Slamet Pinardi Kraton Ratu Boko: A Javanese Site of Enigmatic Beauty. Yogyakarta: P.T. (Persero) Taman Wisata Borobudur dan Prambanan, 2015. ISBN 9 78 6029 827 934
(19) John Miksic, Goh Geok Yian, Ancient Southeast Asia. London, New York: Routledge 2017. ISBN 978-0415735544.
(20) John Miksic and Stanley B. H. Yeo. Singapura: The Making of a Prosperous Trading Settlement. A Key Resource for Secondary One History. Singapore: LearnAsia, September 2017. ISBN 978-981-11-3889-8
(21) John Miksic, Archaeology Library NUS Museum. Singapore: NUS Museum, 2020. ISBN: 978-981-14-7706-5
e-Publications
(1) I Wayan Ardika and the Archaeology Study Program Team, Universitas Udayana. Edited and Translated from Indonesian by John N. Miksic. Archaeological Research at the Blanjong Site, Sanur, Bali. Singapore: Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre Archaeology Unit Archaeology Report Series No. 3. June 2016. https://www.iseas.edu.sg/images/pdf/archaeology_report_blanjong_ardika_final.pdf Pp. 50.
(2) John Miksic, Southeast Asian Archaeological Site Reports Singapore No. 1: The Singapore Cricket Club Excavation. 20 February 2018 Southeast Asian Archaeological Site Reports, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/sitereports/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.25717/7w0e-3n3c
(3) Team Projek Dieng 2010: Jurusan Arkeologi, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, and Universitas Gadjah Mada. Translated by Goh Geok Yian and John N. Miksic. Editors: Mahirta Sasongko, Goh Geok Yian, Widya Nayati, and John N. Miksic. Dieng Temple Complex Excavation Report. Southeast Asian Archaeological Site Reports, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/sitereports/dieng DOI: https://doi.org/10.25717/70d9-va60
(4) Goh Geok Yian & John N. Miksic, Myanmar-Singapore Archaeology Training Project (MSATP). Southeast Asian Archaeological Site Reports http://epress.nus.edu.sg/sitereports/msatp, DOI: https://doi.org/10.25717/4vsn-x426
(5) Goh Geok Yian & John N. Miksic, The Colombo Court Site Report. Southeast Asian Archaeological Site Reports epress.nus.edu.sg/sitereports/colombo/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.25717/304q-mx31 . (6) Goh Geok Yian & John N. Miksic, Site Report on the Fort Canning Dig 2018 (September 2–November 4) and Two Subsequent Visits. Southeast Asian Archaeological Site Reports, epress.nus.edu.sg/sitereports/fortcanning/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.25717/ngs9-h5qr
(7) Goh Geok Yian & John N. Miksic, The Fort Canning Spice Garden Site Report. Southeast Asian Archaeological Site Reports, epress.nus.edu.sg/sitereports/spicegarden/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.25717/q0b4-byj0
Editorial Work on Books
(1) Hasan M. Ambary, Halwany Michrob, and John N. Miksic. Katalogus Koleksi Data Arkeologi Banten (Catalogue of Sites, Monuments and Artifacts of Banten). Jakarta: Directorate for Protection and Development of Historical and Archaeological Heritage 1988 pp. xv, 1-92.
(2) Pusaka Art of Indonesia. Singapore: Archipelago Press 1992. [French Edition: Pusaka Arts d’Indonésie, Singapore: Les Éditions du Pacifique, 1994. ISBN 2-87868-015-7] [Dutch edition: Pusaka: Indonesische Kunstschatten. Alphen aan den Rijn: Tripolis, 1994. ISBN 90-61130729-2]
(3) The Legacy of Majapahit. Singapore: National Heritage Board, 1995. pp. 1-210. ISBN 9971-88-453-4
(4) Southeast Asia: A Past Regained. Alexandria: Time-Life Books, 1995. pp. 1-168. ISBN 0-8094-9112-5
(5) Museum Treasures of Southeast Asia from the Collections of the National Museums of the Ten Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Makati, Singapore: ArtPost Asia, 2002. pp. 1-192. ISBN 981-04-7589-6
(6) Earthenware in Southeast Asia. Singapore: Singapore University Press, 2003. ISBN 9971-69-271-6
(7) John N. Miksic and Cheryl-Ann Low Mei Gek. Early Singapore 1300s-1819: Evidence in Maps, Text and Artefacts. Singapore: Singapore History Museum, 2004. Pp. 1-148. ISBN 981-05-0283-4.
(8) Karaton Surakarta. Jakarta: Yayasan Pawiyatan Kabudayan Karaton Surakarta, 2004. Pp. 1-409. ISBN 9 789799 858603 Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2006. ISBN 981-261-226-2
(9) Retno Sulistianingsih Sitowati and John N. Miksic, Icons of Art: National Museum Jakarta. Jakarta: BAB Publishing Indonesia, 2006. Pp. ISBN 979-8926-25-0 Second Edition: John N. Miksic, Icons of Art: National Museum Jakarta. Jakarta: BAB Publishing Indonesia. Pp. 1-308. ISBN 978-979-8926-25-9
(10) Dominik Bonatz, John Miksic, J. David Neidel, Mai Lin Tjoa Bonatz, Editors. From Distant Tales. Archaeology and Ethnohistory in the Highlands of Sumatra. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2009. Pp. xiv, 509. ISBN(10) 1-4438-0497-5, ISBN (13): 978-4438-0497-4
(11) Southeast Asian Ceramics: New Light on Old Pottery. Singapore: Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, 2009. ISBN 978-981-4260-13-8.
(12) Borobudur Majestic Mysterious Magnificent. Yogyakarta: PT. (Persero) Taman Wisata Borobudur, Prambanan & Ratu Boko, 2010. ISBN 978-602-98279-0-3. US Edition: North Clarendon, Vermont: Periplus Editions – Tuttle Publishing. 978-979-89262-6-6 Review: Peter, Stephenson, Java Kini, October 2011: p. 20.
(13) John N. Miksic, Geok Yian Goh, and Sue O’Connor, Rethinking Cultural Resource Management in Southeast Asia. Preservation, Development, and Neglect. London, New York: Anthem Press. 2011. Pp. 200. ISBN 9780857283 894
External links
- ^ Melody Zaccheus, "Indian Jones who Pieces together S'pore's Past", in The Straits Times 11 November 2013, p. 4.
- ^ Chandrashekhar, Vaishnavi. “THE LION CITY’S GLORIOUS PAST.” Archaeology 70, no. 6 (2017): 61–68. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26349031.
- ^ C. M. Turnbull, "Early Singapore 1330s-1819 in Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. 78, No. 1 (288) (2005), pp. 122-124.
- ^ Asad Latif, "Pre-Raffles Singapore:A Thriving Port," The Straits Times, 9 November 2013, p. 19.
- ^ Justin McDaniel, "A Review of the Historical Dictionary of Southeast Asia" in Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 128, No. 2 (Apr-Jun 2008), pp. 342-44.