![]() ![]() Legally, Singapore’s National Heritage Board (NHB) Act is slated for review to provide a proper legal framework to protect these historical findings. The Singapore Government has also begun to express an unprecedented level of interest in research on the subject as well as the preservation of the ever-growing trove of historical artifacts found in Singapore and her territories. ![]() The latest shipwreck discovery has proven to be an exciting progression in Singapore’s archaeology and has reignited interest in the ancient history of Singapore and its territories. Artifacts such as the still-undeciphered Singapore Stone have remained enigmatic as the attributed civilization and language inscribed on the stone still elude the understanding of historians. The knowledge of the prior inhabitants appears to have been lost with time. When Sir Stamford Raffles landed on Singapore in search of a strategic trading port in the region for the British, he described Singapore as sparsely populated-mainly inhabited by some Chinese planters, a few Malays, and a small number of aborigines. It is important to note that the knowledge of Singapore’s pre-colonial history is severely lacking, particularly due to a lack of documentation and an apparent gap in history that has not been reconciled. Historical research on the ancient history of Pedra Branca has been mostly neglected by scholars over the years thus, this paper aims to shed some light on this enigmatic history of the island and at the same time establish its history and significance by utilizing pre-British-colonization historical cartographical data from as early as the 15th century. ![]() The most recent breakthrough, however, provides a glimpse into an even earlier history of Pedra Branca-and by extension, Singapore-as shipwrecked remains dating from the 14th century were uncovered in the surrounding waters. The ensuing legal battle led to renewed interest in the geography and post-19th century history of the island. It later caught international attention when a heated territorial dispute for the island between Singapore and Malaysia arose, lasting from 1979–2018, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) eventually granting rights to Singapore. Pedra Branca was first pushed into the spotlight when the British constructed the Horsburgh Lighthouse in 1851. Its unexceptional presence belies a rich cartographical history and infamous reputation for leading ships to grief since antiquity. At the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait lies Pedra Branca, an island of granite rock situated in hazardous waters. ![]()
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