These are lesson slides for Secondary One Students studying the history of Singapore in the 14th Century AD. The focus is on Chinese , Indian and Sri Lankan goods that Singapore probably imported as an entrepot. It also includes archaeological evidence of Signapore's links with ports of Quanzhou, Calicut and Galle (Sri Lanka).

1. Singapore’s links with the rest of
the world in the 14th century

2. China: Chinese Junks and navigation
Chinese ships with a flat bottom and square sail. Ships that can carry up
to 1000 men by 14th century
Javanese ‘Jong’: 9th century AD.

3. Chinese compass, joss sticks and Qiang
Xing Ban or Si Nan
Si Nan/ Chinese compass
Qiang Xing Ban/
Navigational Board

4. 14th century ships
• Ming Dynasty and Admiral Zheng He
• Treasure Ships 150 meters long.

5. Qianzhou port
Porcelain, silk, tea, gold, silver and metals and lacquerware
Paper, ink textiles, ginger, sandalwood, eaglewood oil for perfume, medicine,

6. Song Dynasty (1196-1205)

7. Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368)
• Maritime office at Quanzhou in 1277

9. India/Galle

10. Calicut – main port for spice trade
• Hindu Zamorin rulers who practised religious
tolerence

11. Muslin: made from cotton.

12. Garam (Hot) Masala (Mixture of
spices): Hindi
India: Black peppercorn,
coriander seeds, black mustard
seeds, black cardamom pods,
ginger
Sri Lanka: Cinnamon sticks.
Vietnam and China: Star Anise.
Moluccas: Mace, cloves and
nutmegs
Egypt: Cumin seeds
Mediterranean: Fennel seeds
and Fenugreek seeds .

13. Saffron: From Persi and India and used
for seasoning, fragrance, fabric dye
and medicine

14. Musk: Musk deer of India and their
glands extracted to make perfume and
Chinese medicine

15. Glass bangles and stone beads
• Popular in NW India
• Collect raw glass which is
processed in a furnace
with the help of a pipe or
kiln to make glass bangles.
• Carnelian: Brownish-red
semi-precious stone found
in the ground. For trade,
decorative and religious
purpose

16. Galle: Sri Lanka
• Trade in precious gems, ivory, peacocks,
precious stones
Highest density of gem
deposits in the world
Amethyst, garnet, rubies,
sapphire, topaz and other
precious stones

17. Pearls, corals and hawksbill turtles

18. Coconut – drinking water for long sea voyages, ropes
Coconut palm wood for masts and spars. Also sails

19. Galle pots and brass pots

20. Tumeric and Cinnamon
• Tumeric for fabric dye and cooking substitute
for saffron. Also medicine and religious
purpose
• Cinnamon (Kayu Manis or sweet wood) for
cooking and as medicine

21. Beeswax
• Medicine and skin softener. Also making
candles, statues and waxing wood

22. Sulphur: raw materials for fumigation,
medicine, bleaching cloth.

23. Frankincense and Myrrh
• Milky white sap from trees in Middle East,
Africa and India. Used as perfume, medicine.

24. Evidence from Archaeology
• Excavations at Parliament House. Coins that
date back to King Bhuvanika Bahu I (12731284): p69 of textbook
• Fragments of glass bangles of Gujerati Design.
Western India silica

25. Southeast Asian earthernware and
Chiense artifacts found at
Kottapatnam, S India

26. Place of Origin
Eg. Hornbill Casques
1. Navigation Board
2. Si Nan / Chinese
Compass
3. Jong
4. Celadon Ware
5. Qingbai Pottery
6. Cinnamon
7. Glass Bangle
Why is it valuable?
Borneo. Singapura
Rare bird. Carved decorations on it.
Wanted by Chinese officials