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Welcome to the Museum ofWelcome to the Museum ofSingapore Before 1819Singapore Before 1819

Room 1

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SingaporeStone Sejarah

Melayu

WangDayuan’s

Dairy

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OrangLauts

Room 2

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Legend of Sang

UtamaGold

Ornaments

Keramat Iskandar

Syah

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Legend ofBadang

Room 3

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Earthenware WingedRiderStatue

Copper andBronze

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Glass

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Chinese“Compass”

BowlArtifact

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Stemcup

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Old Coins

http://www.smashinglists.com/undeciphered-codes-and-texts/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Stone

Origins: Singapore River, 10th to 14th Century

The Singapore Stone is a fragment of a large sandstone slab which originally stood at the mouth of the Singapore River. The slab bears an undeciphered inscription. It is suggested that the inscription is either in Old Javanese or Sanskrit, and it is likely that the person who commissioned the inscription was Sumatran. In 1843 the slab was blown up to clear and widen the passageway at the mouth of the Singapore River to make space for a fort and the quarters of its commander.

The slab may be linked to the legendary story of the 14th-century strongman Badang, who is said to have thrown a massive stone to the mouth of the Singapore River.

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Singapore Stone

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Click here to see the legend of Badang

http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/history

Origins: Written by Wang Dayuan, 1349

Wang Dayuan’s Daoyi Zhilue is a Chinese first-hand account of 14th century Temasek (Singapore). In the 1330s Wang Dayuan travelled extensively in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.

He describes Temasek or “Dan-ma-xi” as comprising two settlements – “Banzu” , a peaceful trading port city under the rule of a local chief. He describes the second settlement as “Long-ya-men” , or Dragon’s Teeth Gate, which was occupied by ferocious pirates who  launched frequent attacks on passing merchant ships.

Wang Dayuan notes that Chinese lived "side by side with the natives". He also mentions some of the trade goods traded in Temasek, such as red gold, cotton prints, blue satin, aromatic wood and fine hornbill casques.

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Wang Dayuan’s Daoyi Zhilue

http://www.api.sg/forum/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=2033

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orang_laut

Orang Lauts

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“Orang Lauts” literally means the sea people and these people live and travel in their boats on the sea. These Orang Lauts were principally pirates but they played important roles in Srivijaya, the Sultanate of Malacca and the Sultanate of Johor. They patrolled the adjacent sea areas, repelling the real pirates, directing traders to their employers' ports and maintaining those ports dominance in the area.

If they were there to protect the other traders, then, it could only mean that traders were in Singapore before 1819. When Raffles arrived in Singapore on 23 January 1819, he noticed a group of Orang Lauts nearby. There was even a small Malay village where the Temenggong resided in, we can then infer that there was indeed civilization before the arrival of Raffles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_Annals

Origins: Original version written during the reign of Malacca Sultanate in Malacca, 15th Century

The Sejarah Melayu or Malay Annals is a Malay literary work covering a period of over 600 years that chronicles the Genealogies of Rulers in the Malay Archipelago until today. In the Sejarah Melayu, it has been stated that Sang Utama, a ruler of Palembang in Sumatra, founded a settlement in Temasek.

Sejarah Melayu

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Click here to see the legend of Sang Utama

http://singaporeshistory.blogspot.sg/2010/09/singapura-lion-city.html

Origins: A legend from the Sejarah Melayu

One day, Sang Utama caught sight of an island across the sea. The island had sand so white that it looked like a piece of cloth. He asked one of his ministers, Indra Bopal, "What place is that?" Indra Bopal answered, “Your Highness, the land is known as Temasek." Sang Utama said, "Let us sail to the island.“ A violent storm broke out while they were on the way to Temasek. The anxious boatman said to the ruler that the boat was sinking because of the King's crown. The storm subsided only when Sang Utama threw his crown overboard.

The ship finally docked and Sang Utama and his ministers went inland to hunt wild animals. Sang Utama saw a strange, agile and fast-moving beast. It had a red body and a black head. He asked, "What animal is that?" None of his ministers know. One of his ministers, Demang Lebar Daun finally said, " Your Highness, I heard in ancient time. It was a lion that had that appearance. I think we must have seen a lion.“

Sang Utama agreed with Demang Lebar Daun that the sighting of the lion was a good sign. He decided to establish a city at Temasek, which he called Singapura or Lion City.

Singapura grew into a thriving trading centre under the wise leadership of Sang Utama and his descendants. It also tells us that Singapore prosperity was a source of envy to its more powerful neighbouring kingdom, the Majapahit empire in Java.

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Legend of Sang Utama

Click here to go to see the Sejarah Melayu

http://www.spi.com.sg/haunted/ghoulish_trial/main02.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parameswara

Origins: Uncertain who was buried, though some people believe this to be the resting-place of Raja Iskandar Syah, a ruler of Temasek who died around 1420.

A Keramat means "a sacred place" in Malay and it is the traditional burial ground of a revered leader. It is believed that Raja Iskandar Syah, a ruler of Temasek was buried here. Malay traditions state that the first Malay king and his chief minister were also buried there.

Iskandar Syah was the last of the five kings who ruled Singapore during her golden age in the 14th century.  Singapore was attacked by the Siamese, but Iskandar Syah managed to escaped and founded another kingdom, Melaka.  According to Chinese records, Iskandar Syah died around 1420, but it is unknown where he was buried.

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Keramat Iskandar Syah

Origins: A story related to the Singapore Stone

One day, Badang encountered a big and ugly beast which was asleep. Badang crept up to the demon and used the empty net to tie its hair to a rock. The demon begged for mercy, and promised to grant Badang any wish if he spared his life. When Badang wished for strength, the demon vomited something and told Badang that if he wanted great strength he would have to swallow it. True to the demon’s word Badang became very strong.

Some time later Badang saw fifty men trying to push a heavy boat into the water. Badang continually offered to help but the men refused, saying that no one so small would make any difference. The king Seri Rena Wikrama eventually sent for 300 men to help push the vessel but it was to no avail. When he saw Badang being refused, the king allowed Badang the chance to push the boat by himself.

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Legend of Badang (I)

Everyone was shocked to find that the Badang could move the ship after 300 people had just failed to do so. He was summoned to the court of Seri Rena Wikrama and was appointed commander-in-chief of the army.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badang

Over time, Badang had become known in other nearby countries as well. A king from India wanted to test Badang's strength against his own champion, Nadi Bijaya. The Indian warrior sailed to the Malay Archipelago and greeted the local king with the friendly challenge, which Seri Rena Wikrama agreed to. The loser would owe the victor seven ships of cargo.

Badang competed against Nadi Bijaya in several contests of strength and wrestling but the result was always tied. Finally, Nadi Bijaya suggested that whoever can lift the large rock in front of the palace shall be declared the winner. He then lifted the rock to his knees and immediately dropped it. When it was Badang's turn, he lifted the rock above his head and threw it into the sea. Nadi Bijaya acceded to the agreement and gave Badang the seven ships of cargo before returning to India.

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Legend of Badang (II)

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Badang spent many years in Singapore defeating challengers from other countries. After some time Badang retired from the king’s service and went to Sumatra and stayed there for the rest of his life. After Badang died, even the Indian ruler who sent Nadi Bijaya grieved and sent a marble stone to be placed at the head of Badang's grave.

http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archaeology

Origins: Mid 14th Century

During excavation works for the construction of a reservoir at Fort Canning Hill in 1928, a cache of gold ornaments was discovered there. The ornaments have been dated back to the mid 14th century.

The armlet in the image bears an image of the Hindu kala, a god representing time and destruction whose figures are prominent in pre-Angkor and Angkorian lintels, Javanese and Balinese art and temple motifs.  It is possible that these ornaments were worn by a member of the royal family of Temasek, who buried them in case of an invasion.

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Gold Ornaments

http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf

Origins: Singapore, Malaysia-Sumatra-West Java area, Thailand

Significant amounts of earthenware have been found at Fort Canning, Empress Place and the Parliament House Complex. Most of them are presumed to be of local manufacture. All threesites also yield fragments of a fine untempered ware which probably was imported from south Thailand. The earthenware from Fort Canning contains a large proportion of white-slipped ware with no other surface decoration. Some of these sherds belong to kendis. The paddle-marking typical of decorated earthenware from the Malaysia-Sumatra-West Java area is rare at Fort Canning compared to the other 2 sites. On the other hand, the artefacts found at Fort Canning yields three forms not found at the other sites. Kendis are so far only from from FTC, as is an object which may have served as an incense burner. The third type of object is made of a very coarse material, an orange earthenware which contains very coarse quartz inclusions. It has been identified as an eavesboard tile.

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Earthenware

http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf

Origins: 14th Century

One fragment of bronze was found at Fort Canning. It is a relatively thick and slightly curved piece, probably from a bowl. At Empress Place, a bronze projectile point was recovered, as well as a small fishhook. The Parliament House Complex site yielded large quantities of copper and bronze. Much of this are in the form of pure copper. 233 fragments of wire, some of them tightly braided, were recorded. Eleven fishhooks were also found, the larger examples were of bronze while the smaller of pure copper. It is suspected that much of the bronze wire may have been used as a leader for the hooks. The largest hook, with a length of 46 mm, has an eyelet with a copper leader wire attached.

Other copper and bronze objects take the form of small bars a few cm long and 2 or 3 mm in diameter. Two small bells, one decorated with a face, were also found. Thirty-three fragments of iron, possibly all originating from the same artefact, a cauldron, were identified.

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Copper and Bronze

One iron fragment retained enough metallic content to be analyzed by metallography, and it was proven to be cast iron. Fragments of other iron objects were also recovered, but most are too corroded to be identified. Eleven fishhooks were found, of either with a curve diameter of 30mm or of 25 mm. All are barbed. One has a copper or bronze leader wire, attached to an eyelet.

http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf

Origins: Yuan Dynasty – Early Ming Dynasty, China

From the excavations at Fort Canning, so far yielded over 6,000 glass beads, several hundred fragments of small polychrome glass vessels, about 1,500 glass globules of irregular shape, and about 50 fragments of glass bangles have been found. One of the bangles has been identified as Indian in origin. According to chemical analysis, the beads and vessel fragments were made in China, however the vessels are unlike anything yet reported from China.

5 fragments of early glass were also found at Empress Place.

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Glass

http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archaeology

Origins: Singapore

At the Empress Place excavation site, archaeologists uncovered a small figure of a man riding a horse. The head was not recovered. The rider is wearing a sarong around his lower body and is sitting on either a winged horse or a horse with a winged saddle. It is made of lead, which makes it the only ancient lead statue ever found in the whole of Southeast Asia. Many theories have been created about this statue, including a depiction of an ancestor of the rulers of Temasek who in the Sejarah Melayu emerged from the sea on a winged sea-horse.

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Winged Rider Statue

http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archaeology

Origins: China

The underglaze design of these sherds shows the compass directions, suggesting that this bowl was meant to be used as a compass. Ancient Chinese mariners and geomancers would pierce a piece of cork with a needle and float it on a bowl filled with water or mercury. The magnetized needle would rotate and hence indicate the north-south orientation when it came to a standstill. This is the only known example of this type of ancient Chinese compass ever discovered.

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Chinese “Compass” Bowl

http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archaeology

Origins: Yuan Dynasty, China

A fragment of a blue and white stemcup possibly for wine, a type used mainly by the Chinese elite was discovered at the Fort Canning excavation site. This shows that the elite class living on the hill could afford the best products of the Chinese kilns at Jingdezhen. It could have been owned by a denizen of the royal palace at the “hollow summit”, as described by 14th-century Chinese traveler Wang Dayuan.

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Stemcup

http://www.mas.gov.sg/en/Currency/Learn-About-Currency/Evolution-of-Currency.aspx

Origins: 8th Century, China, 18th Century, Singapore

Old coins were found from sites such as Fort Canning Hill and the Parliament House Complex, dating back as early as the 10th and 11th Centuries. Research has shown that from the 8th Century , Chinese copper cash imported by Chinese merchants became the main currency for trade in the Malay Peninsula. A local version, pitis, cast from tin, eventually evolved from this model during the last two decades of the 18th century.

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Old Coins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Singapore

http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf

Origins: Early 17th Century, China

Early 17th-century Chinese blue and white porcelain have been found at the Singapore and Kallang Rivers. The white porcelain from all three sites consists of two types: the highly fired, dense ware associated with Jingdezhen, and the more porous Dehua ware. The find at Fort Canning contains several shapes not found at Empress Place and the Parliament House Complex; these include large incense burners, fragments of an ornate pillow in the form of a theatre, and fragments of other as yet unidentified objects.

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White Porcelain