Rock of the Ages

Posted by GummyBear under Folklore, Museums/Heritage Galleries
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The Singapore Stone has much in common with the country that shares its name. It’s small – hardly a metre wide. It’s not a precious gem – just common sandstone. And it looks well … unremarkable.

Lots of people said the same thing about Singapore too way back then – a tiny backwater country, no natural resources just common rock, with nothing remarkable about it, the country was doomed to struggle forever as a third-world community.

Well we have come far and this little stone … it is now one of our most revered national treasures.

So what’s the big deal with this stone? When I first saw it a couple of months ago, I was less than impressed to say the least. The rock’s most redeeming feature as far as I could tell, was the text inscribed on it that remains undeciphered to this day.

Well that was intriguing I guess. Maybe it was some important national proclamation or then again, it may just be some ancient graffiti as far as we know. Folklore has it that the text holds secrets to Singapore’s ancient history. Still, as it has withstood many attempts by scholars to read the now well-worn carvings, makes this little rock even more interesting.

History says the Singapore Stone dates back some 1000 years to the 10th or 11th century and it was part of a much larger monolithic boulder that once stood by the mouth of the Singapore River. For much of its “life” it was lost to history until 1819 when it was rediscovered by laborers who were clearing part of the forest by the river bank. It is said even Sir Stamford Raffles gave it a go in trying to figure out the text without success.

Tragically the rock was blown up in 1843 to widen the passageway at the mouth of the Singapore River. Three small fragments were saved. Two were sent for analysis to the Royal Asiatic Society’s Museum in Calcutta and the lone surviving relic – later christened The Singapore Stone – found its much deserved home in what is now the National Museum of Singapore.

So this little rock – just like Singapore – seems to have had a tough time “growing up”. And while it still doesn’t look like much, it deserves our respect.

EDITOR’S NOTE::: And there is no better time to ponder our little rocky history - just watch the Heritage TV episode on this elusive stone here.

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