Kyaukmyaung (Sagaing)
Encyclopedia
Kyaukmyaung is a town in Sagaing Division
, Myanmar
. It is situated 46 miles north of Mandalay
on the west bank of the River Irrawaddy
, and 17 miles east of Shwebo
by road. It marks the end of the third defile
of the Irrawaddy.
Kyaukmyaung is famous for the manufacture of large glazed earthernware pots known as Martaban jars, established when 5,000 Mon
war captives were settled in the area by King Alaungpaya
(1752–1760) after his conquest of Pegu. Earlier the Peguans from the south had rebelled and deposed the King of Ava
. Aung Zeya (later Alaungpaya), chief of Moksobo (later Shwebo), led his countrymen in a revolt against the Mon, and collected a fleet at Kyaukmyaung where he defeated the advancing Mon.
The glazed pots were also called Ali Baba jars and transported down the river on bamboo rafts. The biggest of these jars can hold as much as two hogsheads of liquor or about 105 gallons (over 400 litres) of water or food, mainly fish paste
or ngapi, fish sauce
or nganpyayei, and peanut oil.
was ordered to scuttle their rivercraft at both Mandalay
and Kyaukmyaung by the retreating British
colonial government. The river, about half a mile wide at this point, was crossed and bridgehead
s established in January 1944 by the 19th Infantry Division (India) at both Kyaukmyaung and Thabeikkyin
, when the Allied forces
counter-attacked.
counted 18 to 20 between Kyaukmyaung and Mingun
, and in December 2005 the Department of Fisheries designated the 72 km stretch of the Irrawaddy between these two points a protected area
for the dolphins.
Sagaing Division
Sagaing Region is an administrative region of Burma , located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. It is situated 46 miles north of Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
on the west bank of the River Irrawaddy
Ayeyarwady River
The Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River is a river that flows from north to south through Burma . It is the country's largest river and most important commercial waterway. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, it flows relatively straight North-South before emptying through...
, and 17 miles east of Shwebo
Shwebo
Shwebo is a city in Sagaing Division, Myanmar, located 113 km northwest of Mandalay between the Irrawaddy and the Mu rivers. The city, also called Ratanasingha , was the capital of Myanmar from 1752 to 1760 during the Konbaung period....
by road. It marks the end of the third defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
of the Irrawaddy.
Pottery and ceramics
Mon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
war captives were settled in the area by King Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya was king of Burma from 1752 to 1760, and the founder of the Konbaung Dynasty. By his death in 1760, the former chief of a small village in Upper Burma had reunified all of Burma, subdued Manipur, recovered Lan Na, and driven out the French and the English who had given help to the...
(1752–1760) after his conquest of Pegu. Earlier the Peguans from the south had rebelled and deposed the King of Ava
Ava
Innwa is a city in the Mandalay Division of Burma , situated just to the south of Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. Its formal title is Ratanapura , which means City of Gems in Pali. The name Innwa means mouth of the lake, which comes from in , meaning lake, and wa , which means mouth...
. Aung Zeya (later Alaungpaya), chief of Moksobo (later Shwebo), led his countrymen in a revolt against the Mon, and collected a fleet at Kyaukmyaung where he defeated the advancing Mon.
The glazed pots were also called Ali Baba jars and transported down the river on bamboo rafts. The biggest of these jars can hold as much as two hogsheads of liquor or about 105 gallons (over 400 litres) of water or food, mainly fish paste
Fish paste
-Fermented products:* Ngapi: a fish paste used in the Cuisine of Burma* Petis Ikan: a salty dark fish paste used in the Cuisine of Indonesia, mostly Madurese....
or ngapi, fish sauce
Fish sauce
Fish sauce is a condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment. It is an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in numerous cultures in Southeast Asia and the coastal regions of East Asia, and features heavily in Thai and Vietnamese...
or nganpyayei, and peanut oil.
Second World War
When the Japanese invaded Burma in 1942, the Irrawaddy Flotilla CompanyIrrawaddy Flotilla Company
The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company was a passenger and cargo ferry company, which operated services on the Irrawaddy River in Burma, now Myanmar. The IFC was Scottish-owned, and was managed by P Henderson & Company from Glasgow. The IFC operated from 1865 until the late 1940s...
was ordered to scuttle their rivercraft at both Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
and Kyaukmyaung by the retreating British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
colonial government. The river, about half a mile wide at this point, was crossed and bridgehead
Bridgehead
A bridgehead is a High Middle Ages military term, which antedating the invention of cannons was in the original meaning expressly a referent term to the military fortification that protects the end of a bridge...
s established in January 1944 by the 19th Infantry Division (India) at both Kyaukmyaung and Thabeikkyin
Thabeikkyin
Thabeikkyin is a town in the Mandalay Division of central Myanmar. It is alleged by the Democratic Voice of Burma that a secret nuclear facility is located there. -External links:*...
, when the Allied forces
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
counter-attacked.
Irrawaddy dolphins
A 2004 survey of the Irrawaddy dolphinIrrawaddy dolphin
The Irrawaddy dolphin is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia.-Etymology and taxonomic history:...
counted 18 to 20 between Kyaukmyaung and Mingun
Mingun
Mingun is a town in Sagaing Region, northwest Myanmar , located 11 km up the Ayeyarwady River on the west bank from Mandalay. Its main attraction is the ruined Mingun Pahtodawgyi.-Mingun Pahtodawgyi:...
, and in December 2005 the Department of Fisheries designated the 72 km stretch of the Irrawaddy between these two points a protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
for the dolphins.
External links
- A potter at Nwe Nyein PanOramio.com
- Glazed Ceramics in Myanmar The Journal of Sophia Asian studies Vol.23(20051227) pp. 55–80