Kendi Water Vessel History and Cultural Significance in Asian Ceramic Trade
The Kendi: A Small Water Pot with a Long, Winding History
The kendi is a simple water vessel with deep roots across Asia. You’ll still find them today in parts of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Middle East. Nobody knows for sure where they first came from, but many think Arab traders carried them from the Middle East into India and Southeast Asia around the first century CE.
Kendis share a lot with an older Indian vessel called the kundika. That one had religious value and was used to hold holy river water. Old sculptures and paintings show gods like Brahma, Shiva, and Maitreya holding kundikas. So do early depictions of Avalokiteshvara, a figure known for mercy. These vessels mostly served as water pots.
The word "kendi" likely comes from “kunda,” but its true origin is unclear. Across Southeast Asia, the name changes from place to place. In Java, it's “gendi,” in Macassar, it’s “gandi,” in Aceh, it’s “kondi,” the Toba Bataks call it “kandi,” and in Bali, it’s “kundi.”
No matter what it’s called, the shape of the kendi has always followed a few core rules. It usually has a round body, a straight neck, and a spout that sticks out from the side of the shoulder. It never has a handle. The spout sits at just the right angle to let you drink without touching the pot with your mouth. You pour from a bit of a height, right into your mouth.
That was a smart feature. You could use it in public or in groups and not worry about germs spreading. Since lips never touch it, the same pot could be passed from person to person. That made it a reliable tool in places where water wasn’t always easy to come by.
People made kendis out of all kinds of materials. You’ll find them in earthenware, stoneware, porcelain, brass, pewter, copper, silver alloy, bronze, and even gold. Even when made from the same stuff, no two were exactly alike. Sizes varied, shapes changed, and each region had its own look.
Spouts came in different forms, too. Some were straight, others were curved, bulbous, or flanged. Some were long and narrow, others were short or shaped like animals. The bulbous spout was especially popular. It looked a bit like a breast, and in many cultures, it symbolized fertility. You’d see these in places like Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
By the 14th century, China started making kendis with thin curved spouts. Over time, those spouts got even longer. By the 1600s, they looked more like the ones found on Middle Eastern water ewers.
Some kendis took on full animal shapes. You’d find them shaped like elephants or toads. Bulls and cows were rarer, but they showed up too.
Kendis in the Asian Ceramic Trade
Kendis were part of the massive ceramic trade that stretched across Asia for centuries. Between the 10th and early 20th centuries, pottery moved from China, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam through key trade routes. During the Song and Yuan periods, and even up to the late Qing, kendis were a key product in this network.
The Chinese noticed that Southeast Asian buyers preferred kendis, so they started making them specifically for export. These Chinese versions were stronger than the local ones. They were glazed and patterned, unlike the porous, plain clay kendis found locally. From the 12th to 14th centuries, huge amounts of glazed stoneware came out of Guangdong and Fujian, heading to the ports of the South China Sea.
When Chinese ceramic output dropped between 1280 and 1368, Thailand and Vietnam stepped in. They saw the demand and quickly tried to meet it. Over time, archaeologists have found proof of kendi trade and production not only at land sites but also in shipwrecks off the coasts of Southeast Asia.
Southern Thailand produced many unique kendi forms. One group came from the Sawankhalok kilns, active between 1350 and 1512. These pieces often had breast-shaped spouts, slightly flared feet, black underglaze designs, and leafy patterns. Sukhothai kendis from the 14th century had thick, clear glazes and square-cut foot rings.
Vietnamese kendis from the 14th and 15th centuries were mostly made of porcelain-like stoneware. They had flat bases, blue underglaze patterns, and the same rounded spouts found elsewhere. Their shape and decoration closely mirrored the Chinese style. After the 15th century, Chinese potters began to imitate Vietnamese forms and designs, which shows there was back-and-forth influence.
By the mid-1600s, as the Ming dynasty declined and China went into the Qing period, Japan also entered the trade. Japanese kilns started producing Hizen ware, like Arita, Yoshida and Imari. These pieces were shipped to Southeast Asia, often aboard Dutch or Chinese vessels.
Kendis also reached the Middle East and Europe. In Europe, they were called gorgolets, a name taken from the Portuguese word “gorgoleta,” which came from the gurgling sound made when water flowed through the narrow spout. Europeans sometimes added silver fittings to turn kendis into ewers.
In the Arab world and in Persia, kendis were used as water pipes. These imported pieces became nargileh. The glazes used on kendis at the time came in many colors: green, white, black, blue underglaze, and multi-colored enamel. The blue and white style, known as Kraak ware, was especially popular. This style featured framed designs and came out of the kilns of Jingdezhen. It was the top choice for exports to the West.
By the late 1600s, China had regained full control over porcelain production and trade. That edge held strong into the 19th century. No other producers could match the technical skill or large-scale output of the Chinese kilns.
Later Chinese kendis were known for their exaggerated features. Some had wide collars at the neck or were shaped like animals. Others had spouts shaped like onions. Famille rose enamel became highly popular in the Middle East, and some of these pieces were customized with Islamic texts to meet demand from that market.
Regional Craftsmanship and Cross-Cultural Influence
Southern Thailand was a major hub for kendi production. Craftsmen there created a wide range of detailed and creative forms. Sawankhalok kilns, active between 1350 and 1512, produced kendis with breast-shaped spouts, slightly flared bases, black underglaze decoration, and leafy designs. From Sukhothai in the 14th century, kendis had square-cut foot rings and thick slip coatings beneath a clear glaze.
In Vietnam, during the 14th and 15th centuries, most kendis were made from fine stoneware that looked like porcelain. These had blue underglaze decoration, flat unglazed bottoms, and rounded spouts. They looked a lot like Chinese kendis in both shape and style. After the 15th century, Chinese potters actually began copying these Vietnamese forms, which shows how ideas moved in both directions.
By around 1650, during the fall of the Ming and the rise of the Qing dynasty, Japan stepped into the export scene. Japanese kilns, especially in Arita, Yoshida, and Imari, began shipping out Hizen ware. Dutch and Chinese merchants carried these pieces into Southeast Asia.
Kendis also traveled far beyond Asia. They reached the Middle East and Europe. In Europe, people called them gorgolets. That word came from the Portuguese "gorgoleta," a name inspired by the sound water made as it poured from the narrow spout. Some European owners added silver mounts to their kendis, turning them into fancy ewers.
In Persia and the Arab world, imported kendis were often used as nargileh, or water pipes. These pieces came in many glaze styles. There were green, black, and white glazes, as well as the famous blue and white underglaze. Some had multi-colored enamel decoration.
The most recognizable decorative style of the time was called Kraak ware. This blue and white porcelain was made in Jingdezhen and became a top export product to the West. The designs were arranged in panelled sections called cartouches.
By the second half of the 1600s, China took back full control of the export porcelain market. This dominance held into the 1800s. No other region could compete with China's skill or efficient production.
Kendis from this later period had more dramatic features. Some had necks with flared lips that looked like collars. Others were shaped like animals or had spouts that bulged like onions. Famille rose enamels were also in demand, especially in the Middle East. Some of those pieces had Islamic text added for regional buyers.
Ceremonial and Spiritual Roles
The religious use of kendis in Southeast Asia is not as clearly documented as that of the Indian kundika. There are clues, though. In Java, during the 16th and 17th centuries under the Majapahit, some terracotta kendis with silver spouts were likely used in court rituals. Some are marked with stylized Qur’aanic verses. These may have been made for the sultans of Aceh, though exactly how they were used is still unknown.
Even today, holy water still plays an important part in spiritual practices across Asia. In Bali, for example, Hindus use it in ceremonies. Many Buddhists across the region do as well. The kendi shape is one of the vessels still used for these kinds of rituals.
Ongoing Research and Discoveries
Archaeologists are still piecing together the full history of the kendi. They’re finding more evidence in both land-based sites and underwater shipwrecks. Older digs across Southeast Asia are also being revisited with fresh tools and questions. Bit by bit, this work is helping to tell a fuller story of how the kendi moved, changed, and mattered over time.
