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Chronology and Significance of the shipwrecks

 

Name of wreck Location Date Type of Ceramics Significance of the Wreck
Chinese Southeast Asia
Belitung Indonesia 9th Cent.

Tang 

Changsha painted wares, some Yue and Xing/ding white wares This is so far the earliest shipwreck found in Southeast Asia.  It showed that there was already a thriving overseas trade in ancient ceramics since Tang Dynasty
Tang Binh Chau Quang Ngai, Central Vietnam Late 9th Cent.
Tang
Changsha painted wares, some Yue and Xing white wares  

This wreck is around 50 years later than that from Belitung wreck. It showed that the decorations of Changsha wares have evovled.

Cirebon Indonesia 10th Cent.

Early Northern Song

Yue wares and some Ding white wares The size of the cargo is very large with ceramics amounting to  more than 300,000 pieces.  The types of Yue wares found is varied and is a very important souce of reference for 5 Dynasties/Early North Song Yue wares.  
Intan Indonesia 10th Cent. Brown glazed vessels from Fujian and Guangdong.  Small number of Yue wares No comments
Pulau Buaya Indonesia Late 11th to early 12th century

Late Northern Song

Majority celadon, Qingbai, and brown glaze wares from Guangdong.  Small quantity of JIngdezhen Qingbai. This is the only know wreck from the Northern Song period that carried mainly Guangdong ceramics.
Nanhai No. 1 China 1st half 12th Cent.

Early Southern Song

 

Jingdezhen qingbai, Longquan celadon,  brown and white/Qingbai from Fujian kilns, low fired lead glaze wares from Fujian Cizao kiln, Temmoku bowl from Jian kiln, celadon wares from Fujian kilns This wreck is in good condition and is now house in Guangdong Maritime silkroad Museum (广东海上丝绸之路博物馆).  It will provide important information on the types of ceramics and building and navigation technologies once fully explored but is expected to take many years.
Jepara Indonesia 1st half 12th Cent.

Early Southern Song

Fujian celadon and white wares The cargo provides a good idea of the Dehua white wares and Fujian celadon wares that were exported.  
Kudat  Sabah (Malaysia) 1st half 12th Cent.

Early Southern Sng

Fujian celadon, white/Qingbai and brown wares The wreck is substantially looted.  The 800 pieces ceramics however still provide a glimpse of the type of ceramic mix exported during the period.
Yuan Binh Chau Quang Ngai, Central Vietnam 14th Cent.
Late Yuan
Longquan celadon, Jingdezhen Qingbai/shufu, Fujian Qingbai and brown glaze, Jingdezhen blue and white wares

 

The cargo provided information on the ceramics mix for the late Yuan period.

Turiang  Malayasia 1370 A.D Mainly longquan celadon Sisatchanalai green glaze jars and bottles.  Sukhothai iron painted wares.  Vietnamese iron painted wares. The larger number of Chinese celadon suggested that Thai ceramics had yet to emerge as an important source of export ceramics.  There were a small number of jars and bottles with thin green glaze  which Sten Sjostrand  has decided to make a distinction from the typical more thick glaze celadon.   It appeared to indicate that the iron painted wares were introduced earlier than the typical Thai Sisatchanalai thicker glaze celadon wares.
Nanyang  Malayasia 1380 A.D Sisatchanalai (Sawankhalok) celadon wares It carried probably the earliest thick glaze Sisatchanalai celadon wares (as opposed to the  thin green glaze in Turiang wreck) . The interior of the celadon plates/bowls  are scarred by spur marks.  The use of spurs were abandoned shortly and tubular support which left a ring shape scar mark  on outer base was used instead. 
Longquan Malayasia 1400 A.D Chinese longquan celadon and white wares of unknown Chinese  origin Sisatchanalai (Sawankhalok) celadon and iron painted sukhothai wares About 100,000 pieces were recovered,  ie  15 times the volume on the Turiang.  There were 40% Chinese wares, 40% celadon from Sisatchanalai, and 20% underglaze ware from Sukhothai.   It showed that Thai ceramics had emerged as an important source of export ceramics.  The celadon plates/bowls were fired on tubular supports and none has the spur marks on the interior base found on the earlier cealdon.
Pandanan Philippines 1st Half 15th Cent.

Ming Interregnum

Small quantity of Jingdezhen blue and white wares Mainly ceramics from Central Vietnam and some Vietnamese blue and white wares Although the number is small, it is still a valuable source of reference of Interregnum period  Jingdezhen blue and white wares.
Royal Nanhai Malayasia 1460 A.D Few Jingdeszhen blue and white  and 2 Vietnamese blue and white  in hidden  compartment Sisatchanalai  (Sawankhalok) celadon It showed Sisatchanalai celadon during the mature phase of production.   The technique, form and decoration as demonstrated on the wares were at the  very best.
Hoi An Vietnam 2nd half 15th Cent. Small quantity of blue and white Vietnames blue and white and enamelled wares This is a very important wreck which provides good references for  Vietnamese blue and white of the 2nd half of  15th century.  There were many different forms and design and the hugh volume indicated that it was the peak of Vietnamese export ceramics.
Lena Philippines 2nd Half 15th Cent.

Ming Hongzhi

Mainly Blue and white, small number of Longquan celadon Small number of Vietnamese blue and white and Thai celadon  Hongzhi period is most probably the starting point which Jingdezhen resumed production of increasing  large number of blue and white for overseas market.  This wreck carried blue and white wares with quite a wide arrange of motifs and design.  It is a good source of reference  for understanding Hongzhi blue and white wares.
Xuande  Malayasia 1540 A.D 170 Chinese Jiajing blue-and-white ceramics  30 iron painted wares of late style from Sukothai and Sisatchanalai  The relatively small number of Thai ceramics and larger number of Chinese blue and white  very much confirmed the re-emergence of chinese ceramics as the favoured export wares.  There was no Thai celadon found in the wreck.   It might also be an indication of the overseas consumers preference for decorated wares over monochrome.
Singtai Malayasia 1550 A.D Small number of Sukhothai and Sisatchanalai iron-pained wares It might be a further evidence of overseas consumers preference for decorated wares over monochrome celadon wares  By now, Chinese blue and white was the most mportant export ceramics as shown in the below wrecks.
Belanakan Indonesia Mid 16th Cent.
Ming Jiajing
Jingdezhen blue and white wares   A source of reference for Jingdezhen  Blue and white wares.
San Isidro Philippines Mid 16th Cent.

Ming Jiajing

Swatow blue and white A good source of reference for early types of Swatow blue and white wares
Nan Ao No. 1 Southern China Mid 16th Cent.

Ming Jiajing

Mainly Swatow and some Jingdezhen blue and white Another wreck which can serve as a reference for early Swatow blue and white wares.
San Diego Philippines 1600 A.D

Ming Wanli

Jingdezhen blue and white and small number of swatow wares It is a reference for some of the kraak wares that were produced to meet overseas demand.
Binh Thuan Vietnam Late16th Cent.

Ming Wanli

Swatow blue and white and enamelled wares This wreck is a good source of reference for Swatow wares that were produced during the Wanli and later period.  The composition of some of them is similar to Jingdezhen kraak blue and white wares.
Batam Indonesia Late16th Cent.

Ming Wanli

Swatow blue and white and enamelled wares  

This wreck is a good source of reference for Swatow wares that were produced during the Wanli period.

Wanli Malaysia 1st Half 17th Cent.

Ming Tianqi

Jingdezhen blue and white This is an important wreck for those who are interested to identify Ming Tianqi blue and white.  This is the start of the transitional phase of  change of style of Late Ming  to Early Qing blue and white.
Hatcher Indonesia 1st Half 17th Cent.

Ming Chongzhen

JIngdezhen blue and white Another good source of reference in identifying transitional blue and white wares. 
Vung Tau Vietnam 2nd half 17th Cent.

Qing Kangxi

Mainly Jingdezhen and small number of swatow blue and white  A source of reference of  Jingdezhen export wares of the Mid Kangxi period to Europe
Bintan Indonesia 1st half of 18th Cent.
Qing Kangxi

Mainly Jingdezhen blue and white/enamelled wares. Small quantity of sancai wares

 

A source of reference of  Jingdezhen export wares of the late  Kangxi period to Europe

Ca Mau Vietnam 1st half 18th Cent.

Qing Yongzheng

Jingdezhen blue and white and small nukmber of shiwan sancai wares A good source of reference of  late Kangxi/early Yongzheng Jingdezhen export ceramics wares to Europe.
Nanking (Geldermaisen) Indonesia Mid 18th Cent.

Qing Qianlong

Jingdezhen blue and white and enamelled wares A good source of reference of  Mid Qianlong Jingdezen export ceramics wares to Europe
Diana Malaysia 1817 A.D

Qing Jiaqing

Jingdezhen blue and hwite A good source of reference of Qing Jiaqing period Jingdezhen export ceramics wares to Europe
Tek Sing Indonesia 1821 A.D

Qing Daoguang

Dehua or Dehua type blue and white, some Fujian brown glaze wares and Yixing teapots A source of reference for early  19th century Dehua blue and white wares.  The huge quantity amountng to more than 350,000 pieces indicated that the demand for such ceramics was substantial in Southeast Asia.  In fact, such Dehua blue and whites were found in large quantity in the ancient Vietnamese port of Hoi an.
Desaru Malaysia +/- 1840 A.D Mainly Jingdezhen blue and white, some Fujian blue and white and Yixing teapots A reference source of  late Daoguang period blue and white for Southeast Asia market

 

 

Written by: NK Koh (18 Dec 2010)

 

   

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