Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300–1800

504 Pages·2013·67.557 MB·English

by  John N. Miksic

Singapore
&
the Silk Road
of the Sea
1300–1800
© 2013 John Miksic
Published by:
NUS Press
National University of Singapore
AS3-01-02, 3 Arts Link
Singapore 117569
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.nus.edu.sg/nuspress
National Museum of Singapore
93 Stamford Road
Singapore 178897
Tel [phone]
Website: http://www.nationalmuseum.sg
ISBN: 978-9971-69-558-3 (Paper)
ISBN: 978-9971-69-574-3
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any
information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written
permission from the Publisher.
National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Miksic, John N.
Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300–1800 / John N. Miksic. – Singapore :
NUS Press, 2013.
pages cm
ISBN : 978-9971-69-558-3 (paperback)
ISBN : 978-9971-69-574-3
1. Navigation – Singapore – History.
2. Singapore – History.
I. Title.DS609959.57 -- dc23 OCN839063282
Designed and typeset by: Mohd. Faizal and Felicia Wong
Printed by: Markono Print Media Pte Ltd
Singapore
&
the Silk Road
of the Sea
1300–1800
John n. MikSic
CONTENTS
Introduction The Archaeology of Singapore:
Forgotten Hints 1
Historical background
Chapter One The Three Seas of the Southern Ocean 25
Chapter Two The Rise of the Island Empires 57
Chapter Three From the Fall of Srivijaya to
the Rise of Singapore 93
Chapter Four Singapore’s Ancient History, 1299 to 1604 145
arcHaeological evidence
Chapter Five Archaeology in Singapore: History
and Interpretation 209
Chapter Six Products of Ancient Singapore 265
Chapter Seven Singaporean Imports of the
14th to 16th Centuries 289
Chapter Eight Beyond Ceramics:
Metal, Coins, and Glassware 325
singapore in regional context
Chapter nine Temasik’s partners in Java, Thailand,
Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and india 353
Chapter Ten Singapore and riau 367
Chapter eleven Temasik’s neighbours: Southeast asian
Settlements of the 14th and 15th
Centuries 389
Chapter Twelve Singapore and the europeans 405
Conclusion ancient Singapore, Urbanism,
and Commerce 433
List of Tables 445
List of Figures 445
Bibliography 455
Image Credits 482
Index 484
v

Foreword
T
his publication, Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300–1800, by Dr.
John N. Miksic is the outcome of a partnership between the National
Museum of Singapore (NMS) and the National University of Singapore
Press (NUS Press). The NMS has been actively involved in supporting archaeo-
logical excavations undertaken in Singapore in recent decades. Some artefacts
excavated with support from the NMS are on permanent display in the NMS’
Singapore History Gallery.
In retrospect, the singular contribution of archaeology in the Singapore
context has been to establish the fact that Singapore’s history does not begin
with the arrival of the British in 1819; it was preceded by a precolonial past.
Dr. Miksic has brought that past into the open with a definitive account of the
period, supported by wide-ranging research and meticulous documentation. As a
result, we now have a deeper understanding of the precolonial history of Singa-
pore particularly during the period 1300–1800. New perspectives emerge in this
publication, foremost among which is an understanding of Singapore’s historic
position and role in the aptly-named “Silk Road of the Sea”. This perspective
containing a longue durée narrative has the potential to contribute to the incorpora-
tion of the precolonial period with the full extent of Singapore’s history.
Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea also demonstrates that the archaeological
encounter with Singapore’s precolonial past can indeed be a stimulating and
thought-provoking venture into the texture of the island’s palimpsest. The “Silk
Road of the Sea” as a world category may well indicate that the time has come
to return to the spirit of Fernand Braudel, to a vision of the past not as a foreign
country but as a mobile and well-connected world with a resonance echoing into
the present.
Iskander Mydin
August 2013
Deputy Director (Curation & Collections)
National Museum of Singapore
aCkNowledGeMeNtS
i
would like to acknowledge many people who have contributed to archaeological
research in Singapore since 1984, and apologize that i cannot name all of them
here. in total, about 1,000 volunteers have contributed to the accumulation of
data summarized in this book. I have chosen a few specific names to represent the
whole community of Singapore archaeological workers.
in particular, i would like to acknowledge Ms. Lise Young Lai, who was the back-
bone of my fieldwork for years. I would not have been able to manage the tasks of
organizing the early excavations without her constant support, encouragement, and
advice. She deserves a special place in the annals of Singapore archaeology.
The parks and recreation Department (p&r) and its successor organization,
the national parks Board (nparks), have gone out of their way to facilitate my
research. i am particularly grateful for the laboratory facilities that they have
provided. Mr. Lee Sing kong, Dr. Tan Wee kiat, Mr. koh poo kiong, Ms.
kalthom abdul Latiff, Mr. rahmat, and other staff members have been constant
supporters of my research. p&r and nparks provided funds for several years to
hire a historical research team, members of which included Ms. rajwant kaur,
Ms. Uma Devi, Ms. aziani, Dr. Saroja Devi, Ms. Lucille Yap, Mr. Shah alam, and
Ms. Tan Teng Teng. The asia research institute and american express provided
funding that enabled me to compensate the labours of Mr. roeland Stulemeijer,
Mr. Lim Chen Sian, Mr. andrew Cowan, and Mr. richard gibson. Many other
students and teachers from nUS and other Singapore institutions of learning,
from primary schools to junior colleges, have made significant contributions to
Singapore archaeology; i hope they have benefited too. in 2011 the archaeology
Unit of the nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre, institute of Southeast asian Studies, was
inaugurated. This institution will be instrumental in writing the future chapters in
the archaeology of Singapore and Southeast asia. i wish to express my gratitude
to ambassador k. kesavapany, director of iSeaS; prof. Tansen Sen, head of the
nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre; and Mr. Lim Chen Sian and Mrs. Foo Shu Tieng, my
co-workers in the archaeology Unit, for their continuing contributions to the field
of Singapore archaeology.
The Southeast asian Ceramic Society has been another principal source of
support for Singapore archaeology. among the many members of the Society
who have helped, i would like to mention in Mrs. Marjorie Chu and Mr. alvin
Chia, past presidents of the Society, and the late Dr. earl Lu, whose good offices
enabled me to obtain several grants from the Lee Foundation, to which i would
viii
aCkNowledGMeNtS ix
also like to express my sincere gratitude. The national Heritage Board has been
another important supporter of archaeological research. Mr. ng Ching Huei of
the national Museum of Singapore has inspired many volunteers from Singa-
pore’s Chinese-speaking community. Ms. Cheryl-ann Low Mei gek worked for
years to whip this book into shape; her imprint is to be found on every page of
this work. Ms. Lee Chor Lin, former head of the national Museum; Mr. iskander
Mydin, Senior Curator; and Dr. kenson kwok, former head of the asian Civilisa-
tions Museum, also deserve my gratitude.
Mrs. Constance Sheares and Mr. kwa Chong guan of the former national
Museum invited me to come to Singapore in 1984 for the first expedition to
Fort Canning, which was sponsored by royal Dutch Shell. Mr. Lam pin Foo was
instrumental in convincing the company to support the first excavation. Messrs.
kwa and Lam have been major sources of support for Singapore archaeology ever
since 1984. Singaporeans owe a debt of gratitude to their vision and initiative.
The Friends of the national Museum have provided indispensable support over
the years. My talks to the Friends have been a small price to pay for the thousands
of hours of assistance that the members of this organization have provided. other
names that deserve to be recorded for their service in making this book possible
include Mrs. Julia oh and the late Mrs. Sue Hixson, who took leading roles in
several early excavations. Mr. Marvin Hixson and his company, aMkCo process
equipment pte Ltd, Singapore, loaned me a particle separator in 2000 that made it
possible to sieve through about 30 tons of dirt and recover several thousand beads
and other small artifacts. That contribution was greatly appreciated.
officers of the Urban redevelopment authority have also been kind supporters
through the years. i would especially like to acknowledge the assistance of Mr.
nelson Chia, Mr. Michael Lee, and Mr. kelvin ang. other organizations who are
owed major debts of gratitude for facilitating specific research projects include
St. andrew’s Cathedral, the Secretary of parliament, Singapore Management
University, and the Tanjong pagar Community Centre.
other scholars who have very kindly shared their knowledge with me include
Dr. Yolanda Crowe on islamic ceramics, and Dr. ivo Vasiljev who discussed the
fourteenth-century Vietnamese reference to Temasik with me. Finally, i would
like to mention Dr. geoff Wade, who discussed the DYZL exhaustively with me,
and Mrs. erika Lambsdorff, who contributed drawings of artifacts. Dr. goh geok
Yian, assistant professor at nanyang Technological University has participated in
many excavations in Singapore since 1991, including directing several of them;
translated several Chinese documents, drew many of the artifact illustrations,
maps, and diagrams in this book, and supervised volunteers from the Friends of
the Museum and students from numerous institutions. Her assistance has likewise
been invaluable in the development of Singapore archaeology.