1. Welcome to the Museum of
Singapore Before 1819
Room Three
Room Two
Room One
Room Four
Museum Entrance

2. [Room 1] Room
Room 1
Wang
Singapore Dayuan’s
Stone Dairy Sejarah
Orang
Melayu
Lauts
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3. [Room 2] Room
Room 2
Keramat
Legend of Iskandar
Sang Syah Gold
Legend of
Utama Ornaments
Badang
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4. [Room 3] Room
Room 3
Copper and
Earthenware Bronze Winged
Rider
Glass
Statue
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5. [Room 4] Room
Room 4
Chinese Stemcup
“Compass” Artifact
Bowl Old Coins 16
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6. 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.
http://www.smashinglists.com/undeciphered-codes-and-texts/
The slab may be linked to the legendary story of
the 14th-century strongman Badang, who is said http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Stone
to have thrown a massive stone to the mouth of
the Singapore River.
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Click here to see the legend of Badang

7. Wang Dayuan’s Daoyi Zhilue
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. http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/history
Wang Dayuan notes that Chinese lived "side by
side with the natives". He also mentions some of Return to
the trade goods traded in Temasek, such as red Room
gold, cotton prints, blue satin, aromatic wood and
fine hornbill casques.

8. Orang Lauts
“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 http://www.api.sg/forum/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=2033
small Malay village where the Temenggong http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orang_laut
resided in, we can then infer that there was
indeed civilization before the arrival of Raffles. Return to
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9. Sejarah Melayu
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.
Click here to see the legend of Sang Utama http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_Annals
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10. Legend of Sang Utama
Sang Utama agreed with Demang
Origins: A legend from the Sejarah Melayu Lebar Daun that the sighting of the lion
was a good sign. He decided to
One day, Sang Utama caught sight of an island establish a city at Temasek, which he
across the sea. The island had sand so white that called Singapura or Lion City.
it looked like a piece of cloth. He asked one of his
ministers, Indra Bopal, "What place is that?" Indra Singapura grew into a thriving trading
Bopal answered, “Your Highness, the land is centre under the wise leadership of
known as Temasek." Sang Utama said, "Let us Sang Utama and his descendants. It
sail to the island.“ A violent storm broke out while also tells us that Singapore prosperity
they were on the way to Temasek. The anxious was a source of envy to its more
boatman said to the ruler that the boat was powerful neighbouring kingdom, the
sinking because of the King's crown. The storm Majapahit empire in Java.
subsided only when Sang Utama threw his crown
overboard. http://singaporeshistory.blogspot.sg/2010/09/singapura-
lion-city.html
The ship finally docked and Sang Utama and his
ministers went inland to hunt wild animals. Sang Click here to go to see the Sejarah Melayu
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 Return to
ministers know. One of his ministers, Demang Room
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.“

11. Keramat Iskandar Syah
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, http://www.spi.com.sg/haunted/ghoulish_trial/main02.htm
but Iskandar Syah managed to escaped and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parameswara
founded another kingdom, Melaka. According to
Chinese records, Iskandar Syah died around Return to
1420, but it is unknown where he was buried. Room

12. Legend of Badang (I)
Origins: A story related to the Singapore Stone Everyone was shocked to find that the
Badang could move the ship after 300
One day, Badang encountered a big and ugly people had just failed to do so. He was
beast which was asleep. Badang crept up to the summoned to the court of Seri Rena
demon and used the empty net to tie its hair to a Wikrama and was appointed commander-
rock. The demon begged for mercy, and promised in-chief of the army.
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 Click here to go to see the Singapore Stone
it. True to the demon’s word Badang became very
strong.
Click here to go to the next page
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, Return to
saying that no one so small would make any Room
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.

13. Legend of Badang (II)
Over time, Badang had become known in other Badang spent many years in Singapore
nearby countries as well. A king from India wanted defeating challengers from other
to test Badang's strength against his own countries. After some time Badang retired
champion, Nadi Bijaya. The Indian warrior sailed from the king’s service and went to
to the Malay Archipelago and greeted the local Sumatra and stayed there for the rest of
king with the friendly challenge, which Seri Rena his life. After Badang died, even the Indian
Wikrama agreed to. The loser would owe the ruler who sent Nadi Bijaya grieved and
victor seven ships of cargo. sent a marble stone to be placed at the
head of Badang's grave.
Badang competed against Nadi Bijaya in several
contests of strength and wrestling but the result
was always tied. Finally, Nadi Bijaya suggested http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badang
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. Click here to return to the previous page
When it was Badang's turn, he lifted the rock
above his head and threw it into the sea. Nadi Return to
Bijaya acceded to the agreement and gave Room
Badang the seven ships of cargo before returning
to India.

14. Gold Ornaments
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 http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archae
of an invasion. ology
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15. Earthenware
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 three
sites 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 http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf
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. Return to
Kendis are so far only from from FTC, as is an Room
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.

16. Copper and Bronze
Origins: 14th Century One iron fragment retained enough
metallic content to be analyzed by
One fragment of bronze was found at Fort metallography, and it was proven to be
Canning. It is a relatively thick and slightly curved cast iron. Fragments of other iron objects
piece, probably from a bowl. At Empress Place, a were also recovered, but most are too
bronze projectile point was recovered, as well as corroded to be identified. Eleven
a small fishhook. The Parliament House Complex fishhooks were found, of either with a
site yielded large quantities of copper and bronze. curve diameter of 30mm or of 25 mm. All
Much of this are in the form of pure copper. 233 are barbed. One has a copper or bronze
fragments of wire, some of them tightly braided, leader wire, attached to an eyelet.
were recorded. Eleven fishhooks were also
found, the larger examples were of bronze while
the smaller of pure copper. It is suspected that
http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf
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.
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Other copper and bronze objects take the form of Room
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.

17. Glass
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 http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf
Empress Place.
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18. Winged Rider Statue
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.
http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archae
ology
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19. Chinese “Compass” Bowl
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.
http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archae
ology
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20. Stemcup
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.
http://www.worldoftemasek.com/index.php/article/archae
ology
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21. Old Coins
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.
http://www.mas.gov.sg/en/Currency/Learn-About-
Currency/Evolution-of-Currency.aspx
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22. White Porcelain
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.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Singapore
http://www.seaarchaeology.com/V1/pdfs/03sites.pdf
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