The Singapore Stones are best described as which of the following?

• A. Sandstone slab
• B. Granite stele
• C. Limestone tablet
• D. Marble monolith

Answer: (A)

They are large flat pieces of sandstone that carry inscriptions, i.e., sandstone slabs. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock formed from compacted sand grains, which made these slabs suitable for carving and for use as broad, inscribed surfaces in the past. The Singapore Stones were not upright monuments carved in relief like a stele, nor blocks of granite, limestone, or marble shaped as tall markers. Their defining form is a broad, flat slab of sandstone bearing writing, which is why this description fits best. Today, only fragments of the original slab remain, but the material and form are clear indicators of a sandstone slab rather than a granite stele, limestone tablet, or marble monolith.