Singapore (2003, 2008, 2016)
It's a common misconception that Singapore's history began in 1819 with the arrival of the British, who ruled the island until it became an independent republic led by Lee Kuan Yew in 1965. But Singpore's history began much earlier. Ancient Singapore was called "Temasek" which means "sea port" in Old Javanese. Founded in the late 13th century, Temasek flourished in the 14th century, in part because China's Yuan dynasty encouraged overseas shipping. Chinese merchants began arriving in Singapore to buy wood, cotton and hornbill casques. In return, they sold ceramics and foodstuffs. Excavations at Fort Canning in 1984 revealed that a palace was located on the hill in the 14th century. Temasek was a busy multicultural port, with traders arriving from Southeast Asia, China, India, and the Middle East. So profitable was the port that Thailand and the Majapahit kingdom in Java competed for its control.
Around 1405, nearby Malacca began trading extensively in the region, particularly with China. This led to a sharp decline in Temasek's influence and population. Temasek was soon absorbed into the Malacca kingdom. The capture of Malacca by Portugal in the 16th century led some traders to return to Singapore. [—Text above adapted from a display at the Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore, 2016]
Singapore skyline (more)
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Fullerton Hotel
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Merlion
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Esplanade and more
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Science Museum
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Science Museum
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The Float, Marina Bay (more)
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Helix Bridge
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Marina Bay Sands hotel
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Waterfront view
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Evening, Marina Bay
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Evening, Marina Bay
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Evening, Marina Bay
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Evening, Marina Bay
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View from National Gallery
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View from National Gallery
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Esplanade theaters
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Waterfront park
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Supreme Court
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Singapore Flyer (more)
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Victoria Theater
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Victoria Threater
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Downtown and Boat Quay
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Boat Quay
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Bars and restaurants
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Chinatown
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Food street
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Main road (more)
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Bar, Mosque St (more)
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Hindu temple, Chinatown (1, 2, 3)
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Restaurant
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Restaurant
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Chinatown edifice
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Buddhist temple (more)
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Devotees
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Prayer hall
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The deities
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The Buddha
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Chanting monks (more)
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Chanting devotees
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Monks
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Prayer wheel on the roof
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Ornate statues
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Laughing Buddha
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Buddhist temple entrance
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Little India
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Mustafa store
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Lunch, Murugan Idli shop (more)
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Family outside a church
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Global Indian School
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Kids playing after school
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Kent Ridge Park
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Labrador Nature Reserve
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Walking / biking path
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Curvy buildings
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Marina (more)
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Posh condos
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Bukit Chandu (info)
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Remembering heroes
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Cannonball tree flower
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Port and harbor
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Just Married (more)
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The arts house at the old parliament
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Clarke Quay from Fort Canning
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Crepe ginger flower
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Fort Canning remains
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Atop the hill (more)
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The Sally Port (info)
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Magnolia champaka (tree)
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Singapore metro
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Singapore metro
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Skateboarding
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Biking, East Coast Park
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Children's Park
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Housing Development Board condos
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Rain Tree
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Gardens by the Bay
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Topiary
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Supertrees (more)
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Musical lights show
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Posing woman
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Flower dome, Gardens by the Bay
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Bottle Baby sculpture (info)
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Exhibition of master potter Iskandar Jalil's works
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Ceramic art
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Exhibition room
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Fluid designs in clay
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A modern potter's wheel
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Life by the River, by Liu Kang, 1975 (info)
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Sarong-making shop, by Chuah Thean Teng, c. 1957, Batik (info)
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Malay House, Malacca, by Mohamed Salehuddin, c. 1960 (info)
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Untitled, by Ibrahim Abu Bakar, Undated (info)
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Temple festival in Bali, by Adrien-Jean le Mayeur de Merpres, c. 1937 (info)
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Kehidupan di Bali (Balinese Life), by Lee Man Fong, c. 1960s (info)
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On Strike, by Tan Tee Chie, 1955 (info)
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The Ferry, by Chen Wen Hsi, c. 1952 (info)
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Returning from Market, by Cheong Soo Pieng, c. 1975 (info)
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Painting Class, by Lim Yew Kuan, 1956 (info)
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Potong Pasir Dairy Farmer, by Lee Boon Wang, 1958 (info)
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Picking, by Tay Kok Wee, 1955 (info)
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National Language Class, by Chua Mia Tee, 1959 (info)
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Persecution, by Koeh Sia Yong, 1963 (info)
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Here they come! by Koh Sia Yong, 1965 (info)
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A special exhibition: Artist and Empire
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Sir Charles Warre Malet, concluding a treaty in 1790 in durbar with the peshwa of the Maratha Empire, by Thomas Daniell, 1805 (info)
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Colonel Mordaunt's cock match, by Johan Zoffany, c. 1784-86 (info)
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'The secret of England's Greatness' (Queen Victoria presenting a Bible in the audience chamber at Windsor), by Thomas John Barker, c. 1863 (info)
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Portrait of Rabindranath Tagore, by Jamini Roy, c. 1950 (info)
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Santhal Girl, by Jamini Roy (info)
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Woman holding a fan, by Raja Ravi Verma, c. 1895-1900 (info)
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Portrait of a Maori (more)
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Mother Goddess, N. India, Shunga period, 2nd-1st cent. BCE (info)
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Mother Goddess, N. India, Maurya period, 3rd-2nd cent. BCE (info)
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Linga with five faces, N. India, Gupta, 5th cent. CE (info)
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Three scenes from the life of the Buddha, Gandhara, 3rd-4th cent. CE (info)
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Bodhisattva
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Emaciated Siddhartha
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Buddha teaching,
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Stele, China, Northern Qi
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Celestial woman with a swan, India, 10th cent., Chandela dynasty (info)
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Sarasvati, central India, 11th cent. (info)
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The family of Shiva, Umamaheshwara, N. India, 9th cent. (info)
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Bhairava, India (UP), 10th century (info)
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Gateway bracket with four shalabhanjikas, N. India, 2nd cent. CE, Kushan period (info)
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Three yakshas, India, Shunga-Kushan period, 1st BCE-1st CE (info)
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Garuda, India, Gupta, 5-6th cent. (info)
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Dancing Ganesha, India, MP, 10th cent. (info)
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Hanuman, Cambodia, Angkor Borei, 8th cent. (info)
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Jina Parshvanatha,
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Painted ceramics, Banpo village, near Xi'an, 5,000 BCE (info)
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Stamford Raffles, "founder" of Singapore
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Objects from a Tang shipwreck, 9th century
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Well-preserved 1200 year old ceramics
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Exquisite designs (more)
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Swastika on gold plate
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A special exhibition at the ACM on port cities, multicultural emporiums of Asia (1500-1900 CE, info)
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"Man in angarkha,
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"Brahmina woman" (info)
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Calling card holder
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Chinese and foreign merchants in Canton (info)
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View of Singapore from Mt. Wallich (more, info)
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A richly evocative quote on port cities
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Asian Civilizations Museum
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City center  |
Boat Quay Restaurants  |
Merlion  |
Orchid, botanical garden  |
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Botanical garden  |
Jurong Bird Park  |
Jurong Bird Park  |
Little India Temple  |
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