Jian Cheng Michael Ng

Flinders University of South Australia, Maritime Archaeology Program, Alumnus

ISEAS, Archaeology Unit, Ex-Senior Research Officer

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Michael Ng is an archaeologist with experience in terrestrial and underwater archaeological projects across Singapore, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Jordan since 2009. He previously served as a Senior Research Officer at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and as an Assistant Curator (Maritime Archaeology) at the Asian Civilisations Museum. Currently, he is a researcher at HeritageSG, a subsidiary of the National Heritage Board (NHB) in Singapore.

His work focuses on the curation, research, and management of Southeast Asian heritage collections, and he collaborates with conservators on the preservation and interpretation of artefacts. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach that integrates archaeological, historical, and environmental perspectives, Michael explores the region’s maritime and coastal pasts. He also leads outreach initiatives that promote public engagement with archaeology and heritage.

His research interests include Southeast Asian history and archaeology, maritime and coastal archaeology, military archaeology, public archaeology, trade ceramics, and mollusc ecofacts. His multidisciplinary practice bridges archaeology, cultural heritage, and public engagement.

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2 Journal Articles
1 Book Chapter
1 Conference Paper
1 Books

Journal Articles by Jian Cheng Michael Ng

Senggiling Shipwreck: Underwater Archaeological Remains on the North Coast of Bintan Island Kapal Karam Senggiling: Tinggalan Arkeologi Bawah Air di Pesisir Utara Pulau Bintan

SPAFA Journal, 2023

The Senggiling Shipwreck has been researched since 2019, and the result of the research was publi... more The Senggiling Shipwreck has been researched since 2019, and the result of the research was published in 2020. In 2021, further research was conducted, and new data was obtained. The research in 2021 shows an update regarding the identity of the Senggiling Shipwreck, which includes the ship's cargo, structure, and historiography. This research aims to update information related to the Senggiling Shipwreck site, which was studied in 2020. The data sampling was carried out using underwater archaeological survey techniques, while the analysis was carried out on aspects of form, type, space and date to obtain information about the various types, forms and times of manufacture of the ship and its load. In addition, this research also uses archives and documents to trace shipping activities on the island of Bintan. The results of the latest identification show that the Senggiling Shipwreck is a wooden ship whose raw materials for its manufacture come from mainland Europe and Central to South Asia. The manufacturing technology originated after 1832 AD from Europe, which transported trade commodities from China and Europe. Kapal Karam Senggiling telah diteliti sejak tahun 2019 dan dipublikasikan tahun 2020. Pada tahun 2021 dilakukan penelitian lanjutan yang menghasilkan data baru. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian tahun 2021 tersebut menunjukan adanya pembaharuan terkait identitas Kapal Karam Senggiling yang meliputi muatan kapal, struktur kapal, serta historiografinya. Tujuan penelitian untuk memperbaharui informasi terkait situs Kapal Karam Senggiling yang telah diteliti tahun 2020. Pengambilan sampel data menggunakan teknik survei arkeologi bawah air. Analisis dilakukan pada aspek bentuk, jenis, keruangan dan pertanggalan untuk mendapatkan informasi mengenai ragam jenis, bentuk dan masa pembuatan kapal tersebut dan muatannya. Selain itu penelitian ini juga menggunakan arsip dan dokumen untuk menelusuri kegiatan pelayaran di pulau Bintan. Hasil Senggiling Shipwreck

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Book Chapter by Jian Cheng Michael Ng

Chapter 12: Creating a Virtual Environment to Learn About Archaeology

Virtual Fieldwork in Humanities Education, 2025

Remote learning became an essential tool for education during the pandemic. It allowed knowledge ... more Remote learning became an essential tool for education during the pandemic. It allowed knowledge to be disseminated without being physically present in a classroom, allowing social distances between people to prevent the spread of diseases. This phenomenon adversely impacted how archaeology was taught and archaeological information was disseminated to the masses. Before the pandemic, educators could organize fieldtrips and in-person workshops to enable participants to interact intimately with the archaeological materials or sites. However, it was a challenge to communicate these practical elements of archaeology remotely. They must be significantly modified to ensure the participants can understand and appreciate the discipline similarly. Incidentally, such difficulties have also plagued archaeologists even before the pandemic. Some sites and materials are out of reach from the masses due to their location and the prolonged artifact post-excavation process. Often, archaeologists rely heavily on various technologies such as Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), 3D modeling and Geophysics to create a virtual environment suitable for research and public outreach. Therefore, this chapter examines the challenges encountered when disseminating archaeological information to the masses remotely and highlights various case studies about using technology to relate archaeological information to the public. These case studies were derived from pre-pandemic archaeology approaches to pandemic period educational practices. By examining these case studies, it is hoped that a plausible direction may be provided to connect people with archaeology in a virtual environment.

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Conference Paper by Jian Cheng Michael Ng

Identifying Singapore's Maritime Cultural Landscape

Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, 2023

The paper proposes to build upon existing approaches in the study of Singapore's past narrative b... more The paper proposes to build upon existing approaches in the study of Singapore's past narrative by incorporating the study of the maritime cultural landscape (MCL) to observe the micro connections and provide a closer examination of the maritime activities around Singapore. This paper highlights Singapore's maritime cultural landscapes within the premise of the MCL approach proposed by Christer Westerdahl. The case studies under consideration include historical, archaeological and anthropological sources on maritime activity around Singapore, the current historical narrative on Singapore, and recent maritime cultural landscape studies. The expected results are to take on a different perspective in considering Singapore's maritime past as an island and coastal settlement. It hopes to further the understanding of the island's maritime past beyond the predominant trade narrative. Ultimately, this allows stakeholders in Singapore to recognise the various types of maritime cultural heritage that may reside around Singapore's coast and waters. Consequently, the paper will highlight how using the maritime cultural landscape approach could help with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and further our thinking on the interactions between humans and seas.

format_quoteSingapore's maritime past demonstrates historical interconnectedness among Southeast Asian polities, which is vital for understanding its modern narrative.format_quote

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Journal Articles by Jian Cheng Michael Ng

Book Chapter by Jian Cheng Michael Ng

Conference Paper by Jian Cheng Michael Ng

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