Re-visting the Java Sea Wreck

The Java Sea wreck was salvaged by the Marine Archaeologist Dr Michael Flecker in 1996. The Archaeological Report was published in 1997 and the shipwreck cargo was dated to around the mid 13th century towards the end of Southern Song period. The ship was likely sailing from Fujian Quanzhou to Tuban on the Island of Java when disaster struck and it sank in the Java Sea.

More than 7500 pieces, approximately half of the salvaged cargo was subsequently donated to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago in late 1990s. In 2014, an archaeologist, Lisa Niziolek carried out further studies of the trade ceramics from the cargo. Based on information that she gathered from ceramic experts in China and Japan, the trade ceramics were found to be stylistically more similar to those dating to the 11th/12th century. The Team from the Field Museum re-examined the artefacts from the cargo and concluded that it dated to 2nd half of 12th century.

In fact, if we have followed the shipwreck archaeological researches from Chinese sources, the revised dating for Java Sea wreck is hardly surprising. In the book "中国沉船考古发现与研究", it is mentioned that in the Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck (华光礁一号沉船) there is a green glaze bowl with incised cyclical date ren wu (壬午载潘三郎造) , equivalent to 1162 A.D and in Nanhai 1 wreck there is a Dehua impressed floral white glaze jar with ink written cyclical date gui mao (癸卯) equivalent to 1183 A.D. Cyclical date has a 60 years cycle and specifically pin-pointing it to a particular date required detailed studies of the ceramics and matching them to kiln archaeological findings. In view of the wealth of reference information available in China, relatively accurate dating is possible.

Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck with green glaze bowl with incised cyclical date ren wu (壬午载潘三郎造) , equivalent to 1162 A.D

Dehua jarlet from Nanhai 1 wreck with cyclical date gui mao, equivalent to 1183 A.D

For Nanhai 1 wreck, the Longquan bowls with carved lotus petals is a clear indication that it dated to 2nd half of 12th cent. Mr Kamei Meitoku, a Japanese ceramics expert, did an article on the Chronology of Longquan wares. Basing on the archaeological findings in Longquan kiln sites and Japan ancient habitation site, such type is classifed in the 1150 - 1200 A.D phase. From kiln archaeological findings, the Dehua white/qingbai wares in Nanhai 1 wreck also fitted well into the early Southern Song phase. There are also the iconic Jingdezhen qingbai bowls with carved infant/foliage decoration which are well-documented as from the early Southern Song phase.

Nanhai 1 wreck Longquan bowl with carved lotus decoration

Nanhai 1 wreck Jingdezehn qingbai bowl with carved infant among foliage decoration

For Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck, there are two types of trade ceramics which pointed to a transitional Northern Song/Southern Song dating. There are a number of Tongan/Nanan big green bowls with carved floral decoration. Similar examples were also salvaged from the Sabah Flying Fish wreck which was dated to late Northern Song by Dr Michael Flecker. Interestingly, there is also a group of qingbai wares from Huaguang Jiao wreck which were also found in the Flying Fish wreck. A type of Jingdezhen qingbai pot, usually termed as grain measurer, were also among the find. Besides Flying Fish wreck, some were also found in the Pulau Buaya wreck.

Huaguang Jiao 1 Tongan/Nanan green glaze big bowls with carved floral decoration

Group of Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck qingbai ewers which are stylistically similar to those found in the Flying Fish wreck

Huagang Jiao 1 Jingdezhen Qingbai grain measurer which were also recovered from Flying Fish and Pulau Buaya wreck

These two wrecks supplied a wealth of information for dating trade ceramics of 2nd half of 12th century. Besides Java Sea wreck, the Philippines Breaker Shoal wreck also dated to this period. For those who are familiar with shipwrecked ceramics from Indonesia, there were several other wrecks with comparable trade ceramics cargo which were unfortuantely not scientifically salvaged, among them one near the sea in Jepara, another near Mandalika and more recently around 2017 one near Pulau Sumedang in the vicinity of Belitung Island.

A survey of the trade ceramics revealed that Huaguang Jiao 1 and Java Sea wreck have very similar range of products as compared to Nanhai 1 wreck. It is also interesting to note the change in the cargo mix of Nanhai 1 wreck. There are very few if any Longquan inspired Fujian green wares. Instead, the number of Longquan wares have increased and of significant quantity and also varieties. Dehua white wares have also evolved in two distinct aspects: the moulded floral decoration and there are more variety of vessel forms. Some vessel forms persisted but there are changes to the profile. For e.g. the small vase form has become more tapered and angular at the mid joint section.

More varieties of Longquan celadon

More tapered profile at the mid-section of Dehua small vases

Hence, the Java Sea wreck is likely earlier than the Nanhai 1 wreck. There are reasonable grounds to narrow down the time-frame of the Java Sea wreck to around 1162- 1175 A.D. The date 1162 A.D is based on the impressed inscription on cover box which mentioned Jian Ningfu (建宁府) and two vessels, an ewer and pot, which are stylistically similar to that from dated Chinese graves from 1171/1173 A.D . More on the Jian Ningfu inscription and the dated pieces are discussed in the article.

Comparison of Trade Ceramics from Java Sea, Huaguang Jiao 1, Nanhai 1 and other wrecks

The Huaguang Jiao wreck in the Nanhai Xisha region, was discovered in 1998 and around 10,000 pieces of export ceramics were recovered. The ceramic cargo is similar to that from the Java wreck, consisting of mainly Fujian Minnan green and qingbai wares, Cizao brown glaze and some Jingdezhen Qingbai wares.

Group of Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck Cizao brown glaze jars which were also salvaged from Java Sea wreck

Brown glaze Fujian Cizao kiln jars from Nanhai 1 wreck

Minqing bowls with qingbai/ivory white carved/combed decoration featured prominently in the Java Sea, Huaguang Jiao.Breaker Shoal and Nanhai 1 wrecks. The number salvaged were of large quantity.

Such bowls are usually categorised under the qingbai category. However, if we closely examined them, the style of carved/combed decoration is similar to those from Hebei Ding kiln. The glaze with clear traces of glaze accumulation akin to the tear drops of Ding glaze strongly suggested that they are Ding influenced.



Java Sea Wreck Fujian Minqing bowls with carved/combed decoration


Examples from the Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck


Comparable decorative style from Nanhai 1 and Java Sea Wreck (right)

Some Minqing bowls/dish from Breaker Shoal wreck on display in Philippines National Museum

Examples from an unknown wreck found in 2017 near Belitung Pulau Sumedang

There is also a distinctive group of green glaze bowls with carve/combined decoration which was previously usually termed Southern Fujian Tongan/Nanan type. From Chinese archaelogical sources, we now know that they were inspired by those produced in Longquan at least since the late Northern Song period and widely produced in Southern Fujian kilns. Some of the early examples could be found in the late Northern Song Sabah Flying Fish and Huaguang Jiao wreck. One decoration that was particularly popular is lotus on the interior and vertical carved lines on the exterior of the bowl. They were both found in the Huaguang Jiao 1 and Java Sea wreck. We should take note that by the Southern Song period, those without the carved lines on the exterior were also introduced by Longquan and Fujian kilns.


An example with carved/combed lotus decoration from the Java Sea Wreck (Photo Credit: Peter Schwarz)


An example from Longquan kiln in the Eastern Region

During the 2nd half of 12th cent, such green glaze bowls were large in number and many have very sketchily carved or combed abstract decoration.


Java Sea wreck green glaze bowls with sketchily carved/combed decoration

Bowls with sketchily combed abstract decoration from Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck which are also found in Java Sea wreck

In the Java Sea wreck, there were also some quantity of Fujian kilns dishes with carved floral decoration. They are also Longquan influenced and comparable examples were recovered from Longquan kiln and attributed to Early Southern Song period.


Java Sea wreck Fujian dishes with carved floral decoration (Photo credit: Peter Schwarz)

In both the Huaguang Jiao 1 and Java Sea wreck, there is a type of yellowish green big bowls (Dia. 25 cm) with carved floral decoration on both interior and exterior. Northern Fujian Songxi Huichang kiln (闽北松溪回场窑) has been identified as the place of production.



Two types from Huauang Jiao 1 wreck that were also found in Java Sea wreck


Similar example recovered from an unknown wreck near Belitung Pulau Sumedang in 2017

Both the Java Sea wreck and Nanhai 1 wreck carried significant number of brownish green glaze jars which have now been identified as products of Guangdong Qishi (奇石) and Wen Touling (文头岭) kilns. Those jars from the Nanhai 1 wreck were found in compartment 9 and 10 of the hull of Nanhai 1 wreck. They are classified into 6 categories,: type A height 36-40 cm, type B,C,D, type E 30 - 24 cm and type F smaller than 20 cm. Based on analysis of the residual contents found in the jars, the biggers ones served as wine and water containers. The smaller jars contained residue such as preserved duck eggs, preserved meats and fruits. Those from the Java Sea wreck were of comparable sizes.

Brownish green jars from the Nanhai 1 wreck

Comparable stamped marks of those found in Qishi kiln and Java Sea wreck

Jars with the stamped reign mark such as 乾道（1165- 1173 A.D）and 淳熙十年 (1183 A.D) provided further evidence that the Nanhai 1 was from 2nd half of 12th century. It is not surprising to find items dated over a couple of decades apart as those may have been used by the crew from an old ship which had made several maritime journeys. Both the Nanhai 1 and Java sea wreck have jars with stamped cyclical date bing Zi (丙子)，likely equivalent to the year 1156 A.D.


Stamped reign marks Qian Dao （乾道）and Chun Xi (淳熙) on Guangdong Jars in Nanhai 1 wreck

The octagonal shaped qingbai ewers of Java Sea wreck are also found in Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck. It is also interesting to compare the one with carved floral decoration from Java Sea wreck to one from a Song grave dated 9th year of Qiandao (乾道九年) i.e. 1173 A.D. Although one has octagonal and the other rounded body, the overall elongated form of body, the spout, handle and carved floral decoration shared close similarities.


Octagonal qingbai ewer (left Java Sea and right Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck）

Elongated ewer from a grave dated 1173 A.D. The Java wreck has an octagonal shaped example. Other than that, the other features such as the spout, hand and carved decoration are similar.

It is also noteworthy that a similar unglaze body pot with brown glaze rim from the Java Sea wreck was also found in a grave dated 7/9 year of Qiandao, equivalent to 1171/1173 A.D. Stylistically, this pot is likely a product of Jiangxi Ganzhou kiln.

Both the Huaguang Jiao 1 and Java Sea wreck carried some quantity of black glaze temmoku bowls which are likely products of Fujian kilns.

Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck Fujian Temmoku bowls

There are also significant number of Fujian Dehua small qingbai vases from Java Sea and Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck.

Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck qingbai wares. The two small qingbai vases on the left shared close similarity to those recovered from the Java Sea wreck.

Examples of small vases from the Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck.

This type of gourd-shaped small qingbai vases from the Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck were also found in the Java Sea wreck. A broken fragment similar to that circled in the photo is shown in the Java Sea Wreck Archaeological report.

There were also large quantity of Qingbai/white cover boxes, many with beautiful molded floral decoration found in Java Sea wreck. Similar examples were also found in Huaguang Jiao wreck.




Qingbai/white cover boxes from Java Sea wreck



Examples of cover boxes from Huaguang Jiao 1 wreck

Qingbai cover boxes from a wreck near Belitung Pulau Sumedang

There is a scientific paper published that touched on the compositional analysis of the qingbai wares from the Java Sea wreck. Based on the samples taken for the qingbai cover boxes, they were likely produced in Hua Jiashan kiln (建阳华家山窑) in Northern Fujian Jianyang and also further South in Dehua.

During Southern Song Dynasty, Jianyang region came under the adminstration of Jianning fu (建宁府) and it is interesting to note that it was also mentioned in a cover box in the Java sea wreck. Jianning Fu is a Southern Song period province covering northern Fujian region. The name of this administrative provincial demarcation was used from 1162 A.D till end of Song in 1278 A.D.

The outer base of this cover box mentioned Jianning Fu

Based on Archaeological kiln findings in China, we should note that Qingbai cover boxes were produced in many Southern Fujian kilns other than Dehua. One important production site is Anxi and the products shared similarity with those from Dehua.

Sometime ago, I came across the website of Mr Walter Kassela which is a great reference source documenting shipwrecks with cargo of ancient ceramics found in Southeast Asia.

https://www.ceramics-and-shipwrecks-of-southeast-asia.com/shipwrecks

Among the artefacts featured, there is a lower portion of a qingbai cover box from the Mandalika wreck which caught my attention.

Some information on the wreck provided by Mr Walter:

"Mandalika (Mandalique, Mandaleica) - Chinese junk discovered in 2008 or earlier near Mandalika (the site of an ancient Portuguese Fort) just off the tip of Java's northern peninsula on the north coast of central Java, north-east of the city of Semarang and beyond the town of Jepara, Indonesia. Recovered Chinese ceramics included light olive or brownish glazed small celadon bowls, similar small bowls with white and bluish colored glaze, and ewers. Also salvaged were yingqing brush washers and cover boxes - all recovered items dated to the Northern Song dynasty (960 to 1127) - 11th to 12th century. Refer to S-073 below for the lower section of one of the yingqing cover boxes with a lengthy 20 Chinese character molded inscription on the base."

The inscription on the base of this cover box is interesting. It reads:

"祖在建宁府

今在x溪县

戴x兴宝

窑工夫吴x"

Basically it mentioned that the potter surname Wu (吴x) operated a kiln named Xing Bao (兴宝窑) in x Xi (x溪) county. His ancestor hailed from Jianning Fu (建宁府). Based on the vague traces, I think X溪 is Anxi County (安溪). .

Cover box from Mandalika wreck acquired by Mr Walter Kassela

The cover box from the Mandalika wreck suggested that Anxi further South of Dehua was also among the kilns that produced such qingbai boxes for the export market. It is interesting to note that the ancestor of this surname Wu potter has migrated to Anxi in Southern Fujian from Jianning Fu in the North. It suggested that the movements of potters to other counties is not uncommon. This can be further confirmed by the family genealogy records of Fujian potters that are still available.

Lastly, in the Java Sea and Philippines Breaker Shoal wrecks, there is an interesting group of Chinese ceramics with incised or moulded decoration with the ground painted with iron-black slip. There are also those with iron-black painted decoration. The biscuit vessel went through high firing and subsequently coated with green or yellow lead glaze and undergone a second low temperature of about 800 degree centigrade firing. For most pieces from the wrecks, the green or yellow glaze have largely degraded but remnants still discernible. Such pieces have in the past been attributed to the Fujian Cizao, Fujian Wuyi Shan kiln (武夷山窑） or Nanping Chayang kiln. Recently while going through a book on kiln rejects from Fujian Fuqing kiln (福清窑）, I came across examples with similar decoration. Hence, Fuqing kiln may have also been another source of such export ware.

Nanhai 1 wreck Cizo kiln vase with floral decoration on iron black slip ground. Traces of lead green glaze is still discernible.

Examples with incised/moulded decoration but degraded lead glaze from Java Sea Wreck

Examples with degraded lead glaze from the Breaker Shoal wreck

Examples without the lead glaze found in Fujian Fuqing Shikeng kiln

Some examples that were found in Indonesia Sumatra

Concluding Remarks

The dynamic of trade ceramics took a drastic shift during the Southern song period. Quanzhou was designated as the premier port for trade with Southeast Asia and the West. There was official encouragement and promotion of martime trade as a key measure to replenish the imperial coffer after years of wars had drained the state finances and the court was forced to flee to the South and established the new capital in Hangzhou. In an edict of 1137 A.D, Emperor Gaozong rationalised the state involvement in martime trade: "The profit from maritime trade is very great .... Would it not be preferable to promote this trade than to tax the people? Because I hope to lighten their burden I had paid special attention to this problem".

Undoubtedly, it heralded in a golden period for the coastal kilns in Southern Fujian, known as Minnan (闽南) in Chinese. Fujian trade ceramics , especially green glaze and qingbai/white wares were huge in number and dwarfed those from famous kilns such as Longquan and Jingdezhen which were of superior quality but more expensive . Based on shipwreck findings from Huaguang Jiao, Jepara, Java sea, Breaker Shoal and Nanhai 1 wrecks, it is interesting to note that they were all from the 2nd half of 12th century. Without exception, Fujian ceramics took the lion share of the ceramics cargo mix in the wrecks, an important indication that it was the peak for Fujian Trade Ceramics.

If indeed the above reflected a correct picture of ceramic trade of the 12th century, the 13th century is strangely lacking in known shipwreck evidence. So far the only known wreck that in my view falls within 13th cent. is the Pawikan Shoal (Investigator Shoal) that was discovered in the sea of Philippines in the 1990s. I have been able to come across only limited information, but some of the the artifacts such as octagonal shaped longquan dish, Fujian kiln chrysanthemum petal green and qingbai bowls/dishes and Cizao brown glaze kendi with moulded dragon decoration are clearly forms with new decorative elements different from those 12th cent. wrecks and likely from 1st half of 13th cent..

Pawikan Shoal (Investigator Shoal) wreck – National Museum of Philippines


Longquan kiln octagonal dish from Investigator wreck (Photo credit. Philippines National Museum)


Chrysanthemum shaped bowls from Investigator wreck

Two Fujian kiln qingbai dishes with moulded decoration found in Sumatra Jambi. Similar dishes also salvaged from Investigator wreck.

Fujian Cizao brown glaze kendi wtih moulded dragon decoration (Photo Credit: Gilbert Fournier)

There are signficant number of 13th century Longquan celadon, Dehua white wares and brown Cizao wares found in Southeast Asia, But we need shipwreck evidence to get a more complete understanding of the cargo mix. But some general trends appeared to have emerged. The increasing dominance of Longquan is apparent and likely impacted the Fujian green glaze production. So far, Batang Kumpeh in Sumatra Jambi yielded the most number of 13th cent. Longquan and provided a good reference source of the main types available. For more information, please read below article:

Late Northern Song/Early Yuan Lo (koh-antique.com)

Jingdezhen qingbai is defintely a superior product but the number found appeared relativey small in number. Its importance and dominance in the export market only emerged in 14th cent. with its Shufu white glaze and subsequently blue and white. During the 13th cent. Dehua white wares appeared to be the favourite substitute and its popularity did not escape Marco Polo's observation when he visited Quanzhou in the late 13th century. Fujian Putian is another important kiln that produced white ware which are similar to Dehua but generally of inferior quality. It is also interesting to note that this kiln also produced significant quantity of green wares. Many were found in the Karang Cina wreck dating to the 1st quarter of 14th century. Its product during the 12th cent. was green ware and during the 13th/14th century some quantity continued to be produced. I have seen some bowls from this kiln with Longquan inspired carved lotus petals.


Putian green wares and some Longquan plates from Karang Cina wreck

As for brown glaze and lead glaze wares, Cizao appeared to have maintained its position as the key supplier. Overall, the volume of trade during the 13th cent. may have been less as compared to the earlier century. One important factor to consider would be the dynastic change during the 2nd half of 13th century which would have inflicted much chaos and affected social stability and impacted economic activities.

Chronology of Longquan Wares of the Song and Yuan Period by Kamei Meitoku. Article published in the book "New Light on Chinese Yue and Longquan wares" edited by Chumei Ho