History of Singapore Before 1819

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History of Singapore Before 1819

• Was there a Singapore Before 1819?

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How do we know about early Singapore history?
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How do we know about early Singapore history?
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SOURCES OF EVIDENCE

• Written Evidence
• Artefacts / Archaeological Evidence
• Pictorial Evidence

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Written Evidence Malay Annals

• Also known as Serjarah Melayu
• What does it tell us?
• Singapura founded by Prince from Pelambang (
  Sumatra)
• On the way, there was a violent storm so he threw
  his crown into the sea and the storm stopped.
• Sang Nila Utama named Temasek Singapura or Lion
  City because he saw a creature that looked like a
  lion
• Singapura - thriving trade centre under Sang Nila
  Utama visited by many foreigners
• Majapahit empire (Java) jealous - attacked

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Written Evidence Malay Annals

• How do we know if the information in this source
  is factual or accurate?

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ACCURATE/RELIABLE?

• ASK IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
• P PURPOSE - WHY WAS this TEXT WRITTEN, WHAT KIND
  OF THE TEXT IS THIS?
• AAUTHOR -WHO WROTE IT? Does the AUTHOR has
  knowledge of the facts? Is the author a
  historian?

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THE SEJARAH MELAYU

• a famous Malay literary work written in the
  16th century ( history textbook)
• a historical Malay literary work that describes
  the establishment of the Malacca Sultanate and
  its history.was believed to have been first
  compiled and edited by Tun Sri Lanang, the
  Bendahara of the Royal Court of Johor in 1612,
  under the instructions of Sultan Alauddin Riaayat
  Shah while he was held captive in Aceh.
  (wikipedia)

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What have we found out about the Sejarah Melayu?

• PURPOSE
• literary work - written as stories so purpose
  is?
• Can stories be considered facts?
• historical - based on what happened at that
  time
• Are the stories totally fictional?

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What have we found out about the Sejarah Melayu?

• AUTHOR Bendahara of the Royal Court of Johor
• Does he have accurate knowledge of what he writes
  about?
• Court official - so would have some knowledge of
  the history of the Sultanate ( kingdom) and the
  Sultans ( kings)
• BUT SM was written in the 16th- 17th century when
  the Malacca Sultanate had moved to Johor after
  being defeated by the Portuguese. Where would he
  get the information about early Singapura ( the
  part about Sang Nila Utama - look at your
  textbook pg 4)?

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What have we found out about the Sejarah Melayu?

• BUT was he a historian?
• Or was he more of a story writer?
• LINK to PURPOSE Was he writing history or
  stories?
• Could the parts of the Malay Annals about
  Singapura and Sang Nila Utama be based on legends
  since the author would have little first-hand
  knowledge of the early history ( around 13th
  century)?

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Who was Sang Nila Utama?

• Was there really a prince from Palembang called
  Sang Nila Utama?
• Malay Annals/Sejarah Melayu also use the name Sri
  Tri Buana
• So how accurate do you think the part about the
  Sang Nila Utama was? Was it fiction or fact? (
  read pg 4 of your history text)

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Parameswara

• According to Alfonso DAlberquerque, the
  Portuguese general who conquered Melaka
• 1390s a Palembang prince named Parameswara fled
  to Singapura and usurped rule. When the king of
  Patani (in the Thai peninsula), who was brother
  of the former ruler, came to seek revenge,
  Parameswara fled north to found Melaka.
• In the Malay Annals, Parameswara was fifth in the
  line of rulers of Singapura, who was attacked by
  the Javanese Majapahit and was forced to flee to
  Melaka, which he founded.

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Is this part of the Sejarah Melayu accurate?

• How can you prove if this part about Parameswara
  is fiction or fact?
• Refer to pg 19 of your textbook where there are
  two sources that tell you about the Keramat at
  Fort Canning.
• Do the two sources AGREE with each other about
  who was buried there?

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Is the Sejarah Melayu an accurate /factual source
of evidence?

• Accurate because
• Not accurate because

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How else can we try to PROVE a source is accurate?

• C Corroborate
• Cross-reference or compare sources
• If two or more sources AGREE or say the same
  thing more accurate
• If sources DISAGREE then less accurate

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CORROBORATE /CROSS- REFERENCE

• What other other evidence do we know of ?
• Chinese written records Wang DaYuan
• Archaeological Evidence Fort Canning artefacts
• The Singapore Stone
• Do these sources AGREE with/SUPPORT the
  information in Sejarah Melayu?

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Wang Dayuans written account

• Wrote about his travels to Southeast Asia in the
  14th century in his book DAO YI ZHI LUE
• Was a well-known Chinese merchant
• Use PURPOSE/AUTHOR questions to decide Is this
  source accurate?

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Wang Dayuans account of Singapore in the 14th
century

• Temasek was a famous place visited by many
  traders from foreign countries
• Chinese traders brought goods here to sell
• Bustling trading centre
• Dangerous place because there were pirates

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Does Wang Dayuans account agree with /supports
the Sejarah Melayu?

• Wang Dayuans account agrees with Sejarah Melayu
  that..

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How can we find out if these written sources are
true?

• Cross-reference with evidence from artefacts
  uncovered at Fort Canning
• What do the artefacts tell you about early
  Singapore before 1819?

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Archaeological Findings at St.Andrews Cathedral

• uncovered remains of ancient 14th century
  Singapore within the churchs compound, yielding
  the inference that the ancient settlement
  extended all the way from the Singapore River to
  Stamford Road.

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Archaeological Findings at St.Andrews Cathedral

• These pre-colonial findings are dated to the 14th
  century or earlier.
• Chinese coins include those of the Song and Yuan
  dynasties ( 14th century).
• Five intact stoneware vessels, along with several
  porcelain celadon jarlets believed to be of the
  14th century have been recovered.
• Other unique artifacts found at St. Andrews
  Cathedral include a tubular carnelian bead,
  probably from India, a Yuan dynasty 10-cash coin
  from China, a Sri Lankan coin of the 13th
  century, and a carved stone human head.

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But is Temasek and Singapura the same place?

• Why would it be difficult for us to find out?
• Unless more evidence is found, there is NO
  TOTALLY RIGHT answer to this question
• What can we conclude from the evidence we have?

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Other early sources

• The first written records of Singapore date to
  the 2nd century when the island was identified
  as a trading post in several ancient maps.
• The Greek astronomer, Claudius Ptolemaeus,
  located a place called Sabana in the area where
  Singapore lies and identified it as an emporion
  or designated foreign trading port, as part of a
  chain of similar trading centres that linked
  Southeast Asia with India and the Mediterranean.

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Other early sources

• A 3rd century Chinese written record described
  the island of Pu Luo Chung (???), probably a
  translation of the Malay Pulau Ujong, "island at
  the end" (of the Malay peninsula).
• There is record that in 1320, the Mongol sent a
  mission to obtain elephants from a place called
  Long Ya Men (??? or Dragon's Tooth Strait), which
  is believed to be Keppel Harbour. 3

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BATU BERLAYER OR "LOT'S WIFE" AT THE ENTRANCE TO
KEPPEL HARBOUR, ONE OF THE "DRAGON'S TEETH" DRAWN
AROUND 1845-1848
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How accurate?

• Early sources based on maps BUT early maps were
  not really ACCURATE
• People did not the knowledge / technology like we
  have now to draw accurate maps
• Also many different names , how can be certain
  that they all refer to the same place
• Early history of Singapore is VAGUE

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Other Evidence?

• THE SINGAPORE STONE
• Once stood at the mouth of the Singapore River
• Believed to be 12th or 13th C
• British blew it up in 1834
• The remaining piece can be found at the Singapore
  History Museum

THE SINGAPORE STONE-FRAGMENT OF AN INSCRIPTION
FOUND AT MOUTH OF SINGAPORE RIVER, WRITTEN IN OLD
MALAY DATING FROM AD1000 1400
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Other Evidence?

• Until today, no one has been able to make sense
  of the writing on the Singapore Stone
• Although a mystery, the Singapore Stone is a
  useful piece of evidence
• Tells us that history of Singapore goes a long
  way back
• What else does it tell us?

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What do we know about early Singapore history
which is factual?

• Proven after cross-referencing different sources
  of evidence ( Serjarah Melayu, artefacts and Wang
  Dayuans written account)
• 14th century Singapore was
• A busy trading city
• Visited by foreign traders from China, Sri Lanka
  and around Southeast Asia such as Vietnam and
  Thailand
• Fort Canning area probably was an important place
  - possibly palace of king and the nobles