Yuan Shipwreck at Binh Chau in Vietnam Quang Ngai Province

In 2013, some Yuan Celadon surfaced in the antique market in Ho Chiminh.  They were linked to a wreck discovered in the sea near Binh Chau Commune in Vietnam central province of Quang Ngai.  

 

 

 

Features of the wreck

 

The Vietnam authority swiftly blockaded the site and awarded the contract to Doan Anh Duong Co. to salvage the wreck.  More than 5000 artefacts were recovered from the wreck.  The wooded boat is relatively intact even though it was under the sea for nearly 700 years. The ship which is almost 25m long, 5m wide,  sank vertically.   The hull has bulkhead partitions, a typical feature of Chinese junks. Archaeological evidence of bulkhead partitions has been found on a 34.6 m long Song Dynasty ship dredged from the waters off Quanzhou bay of China in 1973. The hull of the ship was divided into 13 walled compartmental sections built watertight.  It was dated to about 1277.

 

Wreck found off Quanzhou Bay

 

The Binh Chau wreck is about the 25m in length and has 12 compartments.  The ceramics were arranged neatly in the 12 compartments. In addition to ceramic items, excavators found a number of personal belongings of the crew, such as bronze coins and scale weights.

 

Ceramics found in one of the compartment

 

Some of the Ceramics recovered

Dating of the Wreck

 

According to Dr. Nguyen Viet, Director of the Southeast Asian Prehistory Research Center, some copper coins were recovered from the wreck.  Some bear the Yuan  Dynasty Zhi Yuan Tong Bao (至元通宝) characters. There were two Yuan dynastic periods which the Zhi Yuan Tong Bao coins were minted.  The earlier ones were produced during the reign of Kublai Khan, around 1285 to 1294 A.D, and the latter during the reign of Shun Di (顺帝), around 1335 to 1340 A.D.  With this piece of physical evidence, we are certain that the wreck cannot be earlier than 1285 A.D.  However, features and varieties of the Chinese Ceramics suggested that the wreck is most likely dated to around 1330/1350 A.D.  Some Yuan blue and white vessels were recovered from the wreck.  So far, archaeological evidence indcates that Yuan Blue and white wares were likely made not earlier than 1330. 

 


Types of Chinese Ceramics Wares

 

The Chinese ceramics found in the wreck were typical of those found in ancient habitation sites in Southeast Asia.  They consisted of mainly Longquan Celadon wares, Fujian brown and white wares and small quantity of Jingdezhen Shufu white glaze, Qingbai iron spotted and blue and white wares.   The ceramic mix indicates to a certain extent the relative popularity of the various types of wares and also that the wares were contemporaneous.  During the late Yuan period,  the export market was dominated by wares from Zhejiang Longquan,  Jiangxi Jingdezhen and Fujian kilns such as Cizao, Dehua/Putian and other coastal kilns.  The cargo from this wreck showed that Longquan celadon wares commanded the strongest market position, followed by Fujian wares and Jingdezhen wares.  

 

Recovered ceramic wares displayed in Quang Ngai General Museum

 

Compared to Longquan celadon wares of the Song/early Yuan period, the quality of those from this wreck has  deteriorated.  There are even some big plates  with serious  manufacturing cracks.   The standard of potting and glaze is relatively poor as compared with the earlier period.   They consisted of mainly  utilitarian vessels such as bowls and big plates.  Many are decorated with impressed/embossed floral motif on the interior base.  Longquan censers appear to be a popular products as some quanity were recovered.   There were also some jarlets which enjoyed a strong demand in Southeast Asian as attested by the large number found in the region.

 

  

Some examples of Longquan big plates with dragon/floral motif
Big Longquan celadon plate with foliated rim. Despite the firing crack, it was still deemed suitable for export Longquan celadon censer
Two types of foot for big plate co-existed during the late Yuan period. The hidden foot (left) is a continuation and modification of an earlier version and the latter with raised footring introduced in Late Yuan became the standard during the Ming period.
Many such bowls with impressed floral motif were recovered A finer piece with foliated rim and impressed motif
Some of the bowls has impressed floral motif and impressed Chinese Characters Qing He (清河)
   
Some examples of impressed floral motif  Some examples of embossed floral motif 
 
Small Longquan jarlets,  some plain and others with embossed floral motif  Bo-shaped Longquan celadon bowls

 

The junk also carried a large quantity of brown glaze basin and jars of varying sizes.  They are most likely products of Fujian Cizao kiln.  There are also some quantity of rough white/Qingbai bowls and plates of Fujian orign.  Compared to wares from Longquan and Jingdezhen, those from Fujian were rough but able to find a niche market based on the relative cheaper price.  During the Yuan period, Quanzhou was the main port of exit for junks sailing to Southeast Asia. The Fujian coastal kiln enjoyed the competitive advantage of proximity to Quanzhou.  It is also hardly surprising that the large vessels such as jars were made and sourced from the Fujian coastal kilns as transportation to the port would have been faster and more convenient.

 

Examples of Fujian Cizao kiln brown glaze jars/jarlets and Basins
Brown glaze jar with carved floral motif recovered from the wreck Similar example from the Cizao kiln in Quanzhou Museum
Fujian Cizao kiln brown glaze basins
Fujian kiln Qingbai dish with impressed twin fish motif
Rough white glaze/Qingbai bowls which are likely from Fujian kilns

 

There is also some quantity of Qingbai wares, some with iron-spotted decoration.  Small small blue and white ewers, cups, jarlets and dishes also made their appearance.   Blue and white wares were not found in the Sinan wreck located near the South Korea Jeungdo Island, Sinan County.  The Sinan wreck found in 1975 is dated to 1323. The absence of blue and white wares suggested that they may still not in production.

 

Examples of blue and white and iron-spotted Qingbai wares recovered from the wreck

 

A Piece of Puzzle

 

Among the Yuan blue and white vessels, there is a bowl which is intriquing and raised the question of whether such wares were also produced in other provincial kilns.  The potting of the bowl appears rough as compared with typical Jingdezhen- made bowls of the period.  The shape is also different and the glaze appears rather uneven, a characteristic hardly seen on Jingdezhen pieces.  The simple abstract motif is also different and not seen on Jingdezhen pieces.

A piece of puzzle from the wreck.  The blue and white bowl does not appear to be made in Jingdezhen

 

In Aug 2013, a second wreck was discovered about 100m from the Yuan wreck.  The cargo consisted of mainly 18th Century Qing Blue and white wares which are likely from Fujian kilns.  The profile of the above bowl appears to be similar to those from this wreck.  The possibility that the above bowl being an intrusion from the latter wreck could not been excluded.

18th Cent. Qing Fujian kiln blue and white wares  from another wreck about 100m from the Yuan wreck

 

 

Written by: NK Koh (9 Aug 2015)

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