Singapore Stone.
Welcome to the National Museum of Singapore. We will take a closer look at the Singapore Stone, designated by the museum as one of Singapore's 11 National Treasures in 2006, and recognized by the National Heritage Board as one of the top 12 artefacts within its museums' collections.
National Treasure: The Singapore Stone.
A short history of the Singapore Stone.
In June 1819, a few months after the arrival of its founder Sir Stamford Raffles (1781–1826) in Singapore, a sandstone slab about 3.0m (10ft) high and 2.7 to 3.0m (9 to 10ft) long was found by labourers clearing jungle trees at the southeast side of the mouth of the Singapore River. In 1843, the slab was demolished with explosives to expand the river mouth passageway, making room for a fort and the residence of its commander.
Lieutenant Colonel James Low, who had previously opposed the use of explosives, recovered three pieces of the rock and shipped them to Kolkata for examination. In 1918, one of the pieces, colloquially referred to as the Singapore Stone, was sent back to the Raffles Museum, which is now known as the National Museum of Singapore. The whereabouts of the remaining two pieces remain unknown; they are either lost or still in India.
The inscription on the stone remains undeciphered to this day. Over time, it has been hypothesized to be in Hindu, Tamil, or Pali. However, newer theories propose that it is written in Kawi script and includes some Sanskrit words. This suggests that the island may have been part of the Majapahit Empire in its earlier history.
Sandstone or metasandstone?
Sandstone, which is a type of sedimentary rock, forms through the gradual build-up of sand grains. These grains are typically made up of minerals like quartz and feldspar and are transported by elements such as wind or water before being laid down in stratified layers. Over time, the accumulation of additional layers on top exerts pressure and weight on the lower strata, leading to the compaction of these grains. During lithification, minerals like quartz, calcite, or clay are precipitated from the water filling the pores between the grains, effectively binding them and transforming the sediments into a solid rock. This process of compaction and cementation over millions of years results in the creation of sandstone, a rock that is both durable and often exhibits striking patterns.
Iron occasionally plays a role in the development of sandstone, appearing as distinct bands within the stone. These iron-rich strata result from variations in iron mineral concentrations throughout the sedimentary deposition process. Environmental changes, such as alterations in water chemistry or oxygen levels, may affect iron mineral precipitation, creating banded patterns in the sandstone. Not only do these bands enhance the rock's aesthetic appeal, but they also act as significant markers of historical environmental conditions, providing clues to the geological events that have sculpted Earth's surface across vast time spans.
Metamorphosed sandstones, also known as metasandstones or metapsammites, often lack distinctive features. Common sandstones are primarily composed of quartz and may include some feldspar. Upon undergoing metamorphosis, they retain quartz and feldspar due to the stability of these minerals across all metamorphic grades. At lower grades, metasandstones typically present as massive and uniform, featuring grains of light-colored quartz and feldspar.
At higher grades metasandstone may recrystallize with quartz grains growing together and becoming coarser. This produces a quartzite, a hard, nonfoliated metamorphic rock. In quartzites, the once separate quartz crystals become massive quartz with no visible grain boundaries. As this happens, original sedimentary textures are obliterated. Pure quartzites are generally white or light colored but iron staining often adds a red or pinkish coloration.
Many metasandstones have unexciting mineralogy, but if the original sandstone contained some clay, any of the minerals that can be in metapelites may be present. Quartz usually dominates, and the amounts of other minerals depend on how much clay was in the protolith. Foliation, typical of metapelitic rocks, is usually lacking in these rocks because micas are generally absent.
National Museum of Singapore - Operating hours.
Operating hours are from 10:00-19:00. (Unless otherwise stated on the website).
The Singapore Stone can be easily found in the History Gallery, right after the entrance.
How to claim this EarthCache?
Email me the following;
1. The text "GCAHXB0 Singapore Sandstone" on the first line.
2. The answers to the following questions;
- Is the Singapore Stone sandstone or metasandstone? Explain your opinion.
- Does the Singapore Stone show any stratified layers or banding?
- The face bearing the inscription appears more weathered, why is that?
- You will see the odd sparkle under strong light, what causes this?
3. Provide a photo of yourself or a personal item to prove you have visited the site.*
References
* Effective immediately from 10 June 2019, photo requirements are permitted on EarthCaches. This task is not optional, it is an addition to existing logging tasks! Logs that do not meet all requirements posed will no longer be accepted.
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