Singapore: Is Ancient Singapore A Civilization?

845 Words4 Pages
Is Ancient Singapore a Civilization? Singapore’s previous Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew once said, “First, to understand Singapore, you’ve got to start off with an improbable story.” The story starts with Ancient Singapore, during the 14th to 16th centuries. However, historians are still asking questions regarding this period in Singapore’s growth. One of the main questions is, “Is Ancient Singapore a Civilization?” This essay will prove that Ancient Singapore was definitely a civilization as all 7 aspects of a civilization are present. Ancient legends often conceal Singapore’s early history, but historians now know that Singapore contained cities, albeit being extremely small. The most significant of these cities was Temasek, the ‘Sea Town’. It was situated on the edge of Singapore, and when it was at its peak of prosperity, it displayed a glamorous earthen city wall and a moat that kept intruders out. Archeological digs have uncovered jewellry, coins and even pottery which dates back to the 14th century, with the goods originating from multiple societies, like China, India and Sri Lanka. That showed that Temasek was a widely known and accepted trading port and a multi-cultural city. Advanced technology was often used in such a busy trading port. Bones and sharp stones were often used to carve intricate patterns on hand made clay pottery, after being heated with a fire. Kampongs were built Malay-style, and were often on sturdy stilts either on land or on water. Materials