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The artifacts are a reminder of the close relationship Hotel Fort Canning has with its surroundings.
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On the 15th of October 2010, Friday, the first artifact from the collection of actual 14th and 19th Century artifacts unearthed at Fort Canning Park was interred by Dr John N Miksic, Resident Archaeologist at Fort Canning Park and Associate Professor of the NUS Southeast Asian Studies Programme.
Pit A: Native objects from the 14th Century
Pit A contains cooking pots, storage jars, and other utilitarian items used to prepare meals for the royal households of the Majapahit kings who ruled Temasek in the 14th Century. Majapahit was a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist thalassocratic empire in Southeast Asia that was based in the island of Java (modern-day Indonesia).
Pit B: 14th Century Chinese porcelain
The Chinese brought large quantities of porcelain bowls and cups to exchange for local products. Ancient Chinese ceramics have also been found on Fort Canning, indicating Singapore's prosperity in the 14th Century and Fort Canning Hill's importance as a royal palace.
With wooden buildings being more common in Southeast Asia during the 14th Century, the red baked brick hints at more solid building structures, probably a Chinese temple, on Forbidden Hill (the old name for Fort Canning Hill).
Pit C: Native & British-made items from the 19th Century
Pit C contains English porcelain, hand-made bricks, floor tiles, beer bottles, large platters used to cook food for soldiers and glass marbles for children to play with. The arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819 heralded the rebirth of the ancient port of Singapore. Fort Canning Hill was first the residence of the British governors, and in 1860, became the headquarters of the military forces stationed here.
Pit D: Qing Dynasty Chinese porcelain
Chinese porcelain was commonly used by both the soldiers and civilians working and living on this hill. These belong to the late Qing Dynasty, which fell in 1911. It is an honour to have two rare intact Chinese spoons in Pit D.
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