The relatively few archeological remains that have been found in Singapore serve only to add to the sense of mystery concerning its past. Soon after the British arrived in Singapore in 1819, a large stone covered with ancient writings was discovered by the river. Munshi Abdullah, a Malay who was in Singapore when the stone was discovered, later it wrote that it "was smooth, about six feet wide, square in shape, and its face was covered with a chiseled insription. Many learned men came and tried to read it. However, not a single person in Singapore was able to to interpret the words." It was difficult to make out the stone's insription, which had been worn almost smooth by time and weather. Sadly, the great rock was destroyed by a British engineer in 1843 doing work to clear the Singapore River. Only a few small fragments of the "Singapore Stone" remain, one of which is preserved inthe Singapore National museum. It is thought that the writing is probably Javanese, dating back to the days when the Majapahit empire of Java ruled Singapore.

Other clues to Singapore's ancient past were unearthed in 1928, when workers discovered a set of gold jewellery, including rings and armbands, many of which were inlaid with diamonds and rubies. They were found on "Forbidden Hill" (so named because it was thought to be the site of ancient royal graves: later it was renamed Fort Canning Hill) at a place close to what was believed to be the tomb of the legendary ruler Iskandar Shah. The craftsmanship of the jewelry suggests that they are also probably Javanese relics of the Majapahit era.

These few treasures from Singapore's past provide a tantalizing glimpse at what life may have been like there in ancient times. Objects like the Singapore Stone and the old wall prompted scholars such as Thomas Raffles to conjure up romantic visions of a glorious past, when Singapore was a thriving city and center of trade and culture during the heyday of the early Hindu/Buddhist era of Southeast Asia. However, there is little evidence to confirm whether or not ancient Singapore was indeed such an important center of power. The records of early Singapore are scarce and inconclusive. It is only at the dawn of the fifteenth century, when nearby Malacca grew into a mighty kingdom, that we begin to have a clearer picture of Singapore's history.