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

Beneath the modern skyscrapers of Singapore lie the remains of a much older trading port, prosperous and cosmopolitan and a key node in the maritime Silk Road. This book synthesizes 25 years of archaeological research to reconstruct the 14th-century port of Singapore in greater detail than is possible for any other early Southeast Asian city. The picture that emerges is of a port where people processed raw materials, used money, and had specialized occupations. Within its defensive wall, the city was well organized and prosperous, with a cosmopolitan population that included residents from China, other parts of Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean. Fully illustrated, with more than 300 maps and colour photos, Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea presents Singapore's history in the context of Asia's long-distance maritime trade in the years between 1300 and 1800: it amounts to a dramatic new understanding of Singapore's pre-colonial past. Beneath the modern skyscrapers of Singapore lie the remains of a much older trading port, prosperous and cosmopolitan and a key node in the maritime Silk Road. This book synthesizes 25 years of archaeological research to construct the 14th-century port of Singapore in greater detail than is possible for any other Southeast Asian city. The picture that emerges is of a port where people processed raw materials, used money, and had specialized occupations. Within its defensive wall, the city was well organized and prosperous, with a cosmopolitan population that included residents from China, other parts of Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean. Fully illustrated, with more than 300 maps and color photos, Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea presents Singapore's history in the context of Asia's long-distance maritime trade in the years between 1300 and 1800: it amounts to a dramatic new understanding of Singapore's precolonial past. Professor Miksic, well-known for his outstanding and often pioneering archaeological work in Singapore, Java, Cambodia and Myanmar, now takes to the sea and documents the external connections of Southeast Asia in the premodern period ... an original and insightful book. - Ian Glover, Institute of Archaeology, University College London New perspectives emerge in this publication, foremost among whith is an understanding of Singapore's historic position and role in the aply-named "Silk Road of the Sea" ... John Miksic 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. - Iskander Mydin, Deputy Director, National Museum of Singapore ... a lucid overview by an expert of Singapore's role in world trade for more than half a millennium. After decades of fieldwork, the results demonstrate the crucial role of archaeology in revealing the pattern of the past on the Maritime Silk Road, along which passed much of Asia's trade. - Roland Fletcher, Professor of Theoretical and World Archaeology, University of Sydney Co-published with the National Museum of Singapore Beneath the modern skyscrapers of Singapore lie the remains of a much older trading port, prosperous and cosmopolitan and a key node in the maritime Silk Road. This book synthesizes twenty-five years of archaeological research to reconstruct the 14th-century port of Singapore in greater detail than is possible for other early Southeast Asian cities. The picture that emerges is of a port where people processed raw materials, used money, and had specialized occupations. Within its defensive wall, the city was well organized and prosperous, with a cosmopolitan population that included residents from China, other parts of Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean. Fully illustrated, with more than 300 maps and color photos, this book presents Singapore's history in the context of Asia's long-distance maritime trade in the years between 1300 and 1800 Introduction : the archaeology of Singapore : forgotten hints historical background The three seas of the southern ocean The rise of the island empires From the fall of Srivijaya to the rise of Singapore Singapore's ancient history, 1299 to 1604 145 archaeological evidence Archaeology in Singapore : history and interpretation Products of ancient Singapore Singaporean imports of the 14th to 16th centuries Beyond ceramics : metal, coins, and glassware Singapore in regional context Temasik's partners in Java, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and India Singapore and Riau Temasik's neighbours : Southeast Asian settlements of the 14th and 15th centuries Singapore and the Europeans Conclusion ancient Singapore, urbanism, and commerce List of tables List of figures Bibliography Image credits Index. The overland Silk Road linking China with West Asia and Europe is a famous and fabled trade route. The sea route that was its alternative was arguably more significant, both historically and economically, and holds the greatest potential for understanding the great movements of people, ideas and goods in Asia.