Singapore as an entrepot in the 14th century (India and China trade links)

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

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.

Chinese compass, joss sticks and Qiang Xing Ban or Si Nan

Si Nan/ Chinese compassQiang Xing Ban/ Navigational Board

14th century ships

• Ming Dynasty and Admiral Zheng He• Treasure Ships 150 meters long.

Qianzhou port

Porcelain, silk, tea, gold, silver and metals and lacquerware

Paper, ink textiles, ginger, sandalwood, eaglewood oil for perfume, medicine,

Song Dynasty (1196-1205)

Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368)

• Maritime office at Quanzhou in 1277

India/Galle

Calicut – main port for spice trade

• Hindu Zamorin rulers who practised religious tolerence

Muslin: made from cotton.

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 .

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

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

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

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

Pearls, corals and hawksbill turtles

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

Galle pots and brass pots

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

Beeswax

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

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

Frankincense and Myrrh

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

Evidence from Archaeology

• Excavations at Parliament House. Coins that date back to King Bhuvanika Bahu I (1273-1284): p69 of textbook

• Fragments of glass bangles of Gujerati Design. Western India silica

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

Place of Origin Why is it valuable?

Eg. Hornbill Casques Borneo. Singapura Rare bird. Carved decorations on it. Wanted by Chinese officials

1. Navigation Board

2. Si Nan / Chinese Compass

3. Jong

4. Celadon Ware

5. Qingbai Pottery

6. Cinnamon

7. Glass Bangle