China’s archaeological authorities say that more than 900 relics were recovered from the two Ming Dynasty shipwrecks that were discovered in October 2022 in the South China Sea. The wrecks, at a depth of approximately 4, 900 feet, were less than a mile off the coast of Sanya, a city on China’s Hainan Island, and 14 miles away from each other.
The Ming Dynasty, spanning from 1368 to 1644, was a significant era for cultural renaissance and international trade. In 2023, researchers went on an excavation expedition, utilising advanced deep-sea submersibles, including “Shenhai Yongshi” or “Deep Sea Warrior”.
This project was a collaboration between the National Centre for Archaeology, the Chinese Academy of Science, and a museum in Hainan, involving mapping the wreck sites, collecting artifacts, and gathering sediment samples.
Yan Yalin, who is the Director of the archaeology department for China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA), reported, “The wrecks are both relatively well-preserved, and a large number of relics have been uncovered.”
Song Jianzhong, who is the project leader for archaeological investigation and research at the National Cultural Heritage Administration, explained that wood or planks of the hull no longer exist. In a statement he says: “The cargo [of No. 1] was mainly Jingdezhen [Ming dynasty] kiln porcelain”. Its speculated that the vessel was a private merchant ship that departed from Fujian or Guangdong and headed for a trade transit point such as Malacca.
The National Cultural Heritage Administration has released images of the submersible recovering the artefacts with a robotic “claw”. The artefacts discovered from the first shipwreck included copper coins, pottery, and porcelain, which were largely from China’s renowned porcelain capital, Jingdezhen. This wreck contained 890 objects, which was a mere fraction of the 10, 000 objects scattered around the wreckage.
The second wreck contained 38 objects, such as lumber, porcelain, pottery, spiral-shaped turban shells, and deer antlers. A few of the artifacts that were found at both wrecks are believed to have been from the Zhengde period (1505 – 1521), as well as the reign of Emperor Hongzhi (1487 – 1505). An article claims that the discoveries align with China’s objective to establish a record of past maritime activity. Beijing claims supremacy over the majority of the South China Sea.
But in 2016, China’s claim to 90 percent of the Sea was dismissed as it was opposing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. China ignored the ruling and continued to press its claim. Guan Qiang, deputy head of the NCHA, stated, “the discovery provides evidence that Chinese ancestors developed, utilised, and travelled to and from the South China Sea, with the two shipwrecks serving as important witnesses to trade and cultural exchanges along the ancient Maritime Silk Road”.
The Ming Dynasty exported silk and porcelain while importing foods such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. The expedition not only involved the discovery of ancient artefacts from the wreckages, but it also involved documenting the wreck sites with high-definition underwater cameras and a 3D laser scanner. This extensive method aims to preserve the background and details of the shipwreck, providing efficient data for future research.
The recovered artefacts reveal the historical background of Ming Dynasty craftmanship and the substantial trade networks of the Zhengde and Emperor Hongzhi era. According to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, Ming porcelain was highly desired worldwide. It also extended to broad landscapes, religious themes, and detailed bird-and-flower motifs.
According to officials, a World War II-era American Navy submarine was also recently discovered off the Philippine Island of Luzon – another find in the Sea of South China.
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