Early on the pottery lining of Wreck No. 1 about 1.5 km deep (National Cultural Heritage Administration).
More than 100,000 Chinese artifacts, mainly Ming ceramics, from two ships wrecked 500 years ago have been discovered at a depth of 1.5 km in the South China Sea – marking the first time China has found such a scale of deep-sea wreckage.
Wrecks No. 1 and No. 2 were found at two sites 20 km apart on the northwest continental slope off Sanya on Hainan Island. No. 1 contains the large numbers of ceramics, piled in places 3m deep above the vessel, while the slightly earlier No. 2 appears to have been dedicated mainly to importing timber.
The discoveries were announced on May 21 by archaeologists from China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA). The sites had been found by a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE) last October, and research is now being conducted by some 30 experts from there as well as from the NCHA’s National Center for Underwater Cultural Heritage and the Museum of the South China Sea.
An assortment of Ming-era ceramics (NCHA)
Wreck No. 1 was reckoned to lie scattered over an area of 10,000 square meters. Though the cargo is visible mostly as the ship is thought to remain buried in sand, awaiting excavation. Analysis of recovered samples indicates that the cargo was being exported and dates back to the 11th year of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhengde’s reign (1506-1521).
Blue-and-white porcelain, pieces of celadon pottery, green glazed jars, and other styles of ceramics were found at the site, originated at two manufacturing centers, in Jingdezhen and Longquan.
Wreck No. 2 has been dated to the reign of Emperor Hongzhi (1488-1505). The number of ceramics on board is far smaller, but larger numbers of precious timbers logs were found at the site.
Timber logs on Wreck No. 2 (NCHA)
A series of 50 manned submersibles is planned at the sites over the next 12 months, carried out using the Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior) and Fenghuozhe (Striver) vehicles from the scientific research vessels Tansuo 1 and Tansuo 2. Once the surveys are complete, an excavation and conservation program is to be planned for the two wrecks.
“The findings are key evidence of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, and a major breakthrough for historical study in Chinese overseas trade, navigation, and porcelain,” said NCHA director Yan Yalin. “China will promote international cooperation in protecting underwater cultural relics and share its experiences.”
Discovery of both inbound and outbound ships in the same area reaffirms the significance of the route, added NCA director Tang Wei. “It helps us study the Maritime Silk Road’s reciprocal flow.”
Deepwater archaeological exploration of deep Chinese waterways is spearheaded by China Daily to have been a recent initiative, with the NCA and IDSSE together setting up a dedicated laboratory in 2018. They were rewarded when they found artifacts, including coins, dating from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) at depths beyond 2km near the Paracel Islands, a disputed area of the South China Sea.