The wreck of a ship from the Qing Dynasty in China was salvaged in Shanghai on November 21. This provides insight into shipbuilding activities from 200 years ago.
Xinhua News Agency reported that the entire wreck was recovered during a nearly three-hour operation. Authorities used a large container and a specially designed water-tight chamber to relocate the wreck.
Wreck from the Qing Dynasty. (Photo: Xinhua News Agency).
Archaeologists stated that the ship dates back to the reign of Emperor Tongzhi (1862-1875) during the Qing Dynasty.
In the coming days, the wreck will be transported to the Shanghai shipyard for preservation and research.
This ship is believed to be one of the best-preserved wooden shipwrecks in China. The vessel contains many cultural relics that will aid in the study of shipbuilding activities at the end of the Qing Dynasty, according to Global Times.
Wooden shipwreck salvaged in Shanghai on November 21. (Photo: Xinhua News Agency).
A spokesperson from the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China stated that the condition of the ship and the rich cultural relics on board are of great significance for the study of shipbuilding history, maritime transport, and porcelain production in China and worldwide.
The ship is approximately 38 meters long and 10 meters wide, with 31 cargo holds, and the main hull is still quite intact.
Since the shipwreck was discovered in 2015, four cargo holds have been excavated, revealing over 600 cultural relics such as porcelain from the “Porcelain Capital” Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province.
