Readers may be interested in this talk by Dr Natalie Ong (long-time follower of this site!) on gold artefacts from Singapore on 30 May. The talk is hosted by The Temasek History Research Centre. Register via the link below.
The gold ornaments found in 1928 on Fort Canning Hill often feature in narratives of 14th-century Singapore but have never been the subject of in-depth study. The Temasek History Research Centre is proud to present this talk, in which we will consider the ornaments, their origin, and what they tell us of Temasek and its peoples. 20th-century scholars were inclined to characterise them as Majapahit, which historical sources like the 1365 C.E. Desawarnana (also known as the Nagarakrtagama) also imply. Like the Siamese Kot Monthieraban, both chronicles claim, on behalf of their king, overlordship of the vicinity at this end of the Malay Peninsula, even while the Sejarah Melayu emphasises the supposed Sumatran lineage of early settlers of Temasek. How do the writings square up with the cultural influences visible from the artistry of the ornaments, and can modern scientific techniques add to the conversation? Close examination, in collaboration with the National Museum of Singapore and the Heritage Conservation Centre, surfaced new evidence that will be revealed for the first time in this talk.
Source: The Gold Ornaments of Temasek – ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute