Monday 24 March 2014

HISTORIANS LEARN HISTORY^-^

History of Singapore 
         
 Singapore was bustling and popular with maritime traders as many rare items like items that are only produced in a certain country are traded at Singapore. This also attracts many traders from other countries to come over to Singapore to trade. Below are examples of trade items that are traded at Singapore at that time, from these items it shows that Singapore is well-connected with many countries.

Chinese potteries which portray dragons ,and handles with monsters masks and many chinese words on the ceramics as well. The Chinese ceramics are only produced in China and found at Fort Canning hill. Fort Canning Hill is a site where wealthy people stay, its also a place where rulers of Singapore stay, Fort Canning Hill is also a trading site. Thus inferring that there was economic trading connection between countries China and Singapore during the 14th century. 


Another example is a winged-rider statue discovered at the Empress place during 1980's dating back to the 14th century.Made from lead and the rider believed to be wearing a sarong. This shows that it might be made by the Javanese. It is found in the Empress Place which is the place where the rulers and people of high order reside. I can infer that those rulers and people of high orders traded with Javanese for the rare winged-rider statue. Thus also shows that there was economic connection between the two countries Java and Temasek
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Temasek also had strong culture. An example is Chinese coins found at Fort Canning Hill which bore inscriptions as Yuanfeng Tong Bao which replaces locally-minted gold and silver as currency in the 14th century. This shows that chinese culture had influenced the people living in Temasek which resulted them to change their coins previously to chinese coins.

Another example are the Yuan blue and white stem cup found at Fort Canning park site dating back to the 14th century. The stem cup was only produced at Jingdezhen during the Yuan dynasty and brought to Temasek for trading. Thus allowing us to infer that people living in Temasek was influenced by the chinese culture and started using earthware and traded with China for the Yuan and blue stem cup as they were only produced in China.

Temasek had political connections with other countries as there were glass beads found at Fort Canning Hill dating back to the 14th century. They were found where wealthy people and rulers reside. Glass beads are only produced in India during 800's thus considered quite rare. Inferring that the glass beads are rare, they might be used for gift exchange between India and Singapore, thus it is found at Fort Canning Hill showing that there was political connections between two countries.

Concluding, Singapore had a rich culture and had many strong connections with countries all over the world from China to India.Even up till today Singapore is still a bustling world-wide known trading port! :3