Depths of understanding

According to Chen Hao, deputy head of the archaeological team, the ship was sailing the ancient Maritime Silk Road, but reefs and turbulent currents created complex conditions. As a result, accidents occur frequently there, even today.

The remains of the vessel are about 16.95 meters long and 4.5 meters at the widest point. It has 10 sections with nine panels separating them. More than 17,000 cultural relics were retrieved from the water, most of which are celadon porcelain produced by kilns in Longquan, Zhejiang province. These include bowls, plates, dishes and cups dating back to the late period of the Yuan Dynasty.

"This is the ninth shipwreck we have excavated domestically. Compared to others, the high proportion of porcelain items from one single type of kiln on one ship is extremely rare in our archaeology," says Liang Guoqing, head of the Shengbeiyu archaeological team.

Longquan celadon, which was regarded as "the first Chinese commodity with global appeal before the Age of Exploration", has been found in shipwrecks all around the world, portraying the prosperous maritime trade in the Song (960-1279) and Yuan dynasties, according to Chen. He adds that an active and open maritime trade policy was implemented during the period, leading to a peak in maritime trade.

"The maritime routes linked numerous important ports, cities and countries across the Northern Hemisphere, and a large quantity of Chinese goods were shipped to various parts of the world along these routes. This global trade directly influenced the exchange and mutual learning between civilizations," says Chen.