15th-Century Brown Glaze Wares from the Vietnam Wreck Near Lagi, Binh Thuan Province

I was delighted to come across a photo of a group of brown-glazed and Longquan celadon wares exhibited at an international conference in Vietnam in June 2019. The early 15th-century wreck was discovered in 2007 in the sea near Lagi, Binh Thuan Province. The wreck yielded a diverse range of brown-glazed vessels, including jars, jarlets, bowls, cups, ewers, kendis, lime pots, covered boxes, and more.  There are also significant quantity of Jingdezhen white glaze bowls and dishes and also Longquan celadon artefacts.

The Hongwu Emperor officially declared the ban on private foreign trade (Haijin, 海禁) in 1371, just a few years after founding the Ming Dynasty (1368). This policy restricted Chinese merchants from engaging in overseas trade and prohibited private shipbuilding for long-distance voyages. Instead, foreign trade was only allowed through the tributary system, where foreign states could send official missions to China in exchange for trade privileges.

This is an important wreck which provides useful information on the range of early Ming trade ceramics that still made there way to Southeast Asia despite the Hongwu ban..

Later, a Vietnamese collector also shared with me a group of artifacts recovered from the wreck.

Artefacts Recovered from the Lagi Wreck (Photo Credit: Thien Tong)

Mr. Walter Kassela also acquired a notable selection of artifacts from the wreck, which can be viewed at the following link: Binh Thuan No. 2 - Yuan Shipwreck - 2nd half 14 C | Binh Thuan No. 2 - Yuan Shipwreck - 2nd half 14 C (ceramics-and-shipwrecks-of-southeast-asia.com).

After the wreck's discovery, a large number of brown-glazed covered boxes and jarlets flooded the antique market in Ho Chi Minh City. The majority feature molded floral decorations, though other motifs such as dragons, deer, fish, and Chinese characters like shou (寿) were also present.

Groups of 15th cent. Brown glaze vessels from the Lagi wreck

In addition to brown-glazed vessels, the wreck contained Longquan celadon wares and Jingdezhen Qingbai bowls and dishes with molded floral decoration. The Jingdezhen Qingbai pieces are clearly inspired by Yuan Shufu wares and can be dated to the Ming Hongwu period. Similar types have been found at the Jingdezhen kilns and the ancient Nanjing Palace established by Emperor Hongwu. This provides strong evidence for an early Ming Hongwu dating of the Lagi wreck.

Hongwu Shufu-Inspired Dish with Molded Decoration from the Lagi Wreck

 

Two other shipwrecks from the eastern coast of West Malaysia further support this early Ming dating. Some similar brown-glazed jarlets and covered boxes, though lacking molded decoration, were also salvaged from the Turiang Wreck (circa 1380 AD). The Turiang cargo included Longquan celadon and some Thai and Vietnamese wares.

Brown-glazed jarlets in more varied forms were also recovered from the Royal Nanhai Wreck, dated to around 1460 AD.

Brown glaze jarlets salvaged from the Royal Nanhai Wreck (1460s)

These brown-glazed boxes are known to have been found at various archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. A smaller version was discovered at the Brunei Kota Batu Archaeological Site and shared by Brunei Museum archaeologist Mr. Hann Maidin on Facebook.

I have also seen a brown-glazed covered box, along with various cups and jarlets, recovered from Sumatra.

A brown glaze small cover box found in Sumatra, likely Jambi
Various brown glaze cups, jarlets and a lime pot found in Sumatra

Unresolved Issue:  Origin of the Brown glaze vessels

Currently, kilns in Guangdong and Fujian are often suggested as the likely production sites for these brown-glazed wares. However, kiln archaeology has yet to provide definitive evidence for their origin.

In the Guangdong Shiwan Museum, there is a brown-glazed box with a molded Man (满) character. It was excavated from a kiln site at Shiwan Xiao Wang Lou Gang (石湾小望楼岗窑址出土). Stylistically, its decoration and glaze bear some similarities to the Lagi wreck pieces. Unfortunately, the site was demolished for development, and little information remains to clarify the range of wares produced there.

Small brown-glazed jars were also found in the early 17th-century Binh Thuan Shipwreck, which mainly carried Zhangzhou blue-and-white wares. Although these jars differ in form, their glaze and paste share similar characteristics with the Lagi wreck pieces. Since most ceramics from this wreck originated in Fujian, it is plausible that the brown-glazed vessels came from the same region.

Brown glaze jars from 17th century Binh Thuan wreck

Conclusion

The discovery of the Lagi wreck has provided valuable insights into the maritime trade and ceramic production of the early 15th century. The variety of brown-glazed wares, alongside Longquan celadon and Jingdezhen Qingbai ceramics, suggests a well-connected trade network linking China, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia. Comparisons with artifacts from the Turiang and Royal Nanhai wrecks further support an early Ming Hongwu dating.

While kilns in Guangdong and Fujian remain the most likely sources of these brown-glazed wares, conclusive evidence is still lacking due to limited kiln archaeology. The presence of similar ceramics in Southeast Asian archaeological sites further underscores their widespread distribution.

As new discoveries emerge and research progresses, further studies on kiln sites and shipwrecks will be crucial in refining our understanding of these ceramics and their role in regional trade during the 15th century.

Written by: NK Koh (14 Apr 2023), updated: 4 Mar 2025