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| The gold earring found from the sunken ship. |
A treasure trove of 14,000 gemstones and 250,000 artifacts, dating from the Five Dynasties period of China (907-960 AD) and ancient Egypt, is causing a stir in the archaeological community.
An international team of divers has excavated a ship filled with precious items that sank over 1,000 years ago off the coast of Indonesia. Experts believe this shipment will shed light on how ancient trade routes were established.
One exquisite carved mirror made of shiny bronze is among the masterpieces discovered among the 250,000 artifacts uncovered in the past 18 months. On a raised knob, the word “Allah” is intricately carved in Arabic, with a beautifully embossed deer adorning the top of the mirror.
Small perfume bottles are scattered beside terracotta jars, while long antique vases are crammed onto shelves along with multicolored glassware from the Fatimid dynasty that once ruled Egypt.
“This is an extremely special shipment,” said Luc Heymans, the head of the excavation. “Currently, there is very little information about the Five Dynasties period in China and very few artifacts in museums. This sunken ship has helped fill that gap.”
Nearly 14,000 pearls and a pile of gemstones were also found on the ship, including 4,000 ruby beads, 400 dark red sapphires, and over 2,200 garnets.
It took more than 24,000 dives to recover all the treasures from the ship, which rests 54 meters deep in the sea.
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| A Chinese ceramic vase from the Five Dynasties period. |
“A shipwreck from the 10th century is extremely rare,” commented Jean-Paul Desroches from the Guimet Museum in Paris. He believes the ship and its cargo will reveal clues about why merchants did not use the famous Silk Road—connecting China to Europe and the Middle East—but instead opted for maritime routes. He suggests that Chinese traders may have moved south due to invasions in the north.
The diversity of the wealth retrieved from the seabed is also striking: decorative plates featuring dragons, long-tailed parrots, and other birds, intricately edged porcelain, teapots adorned with lotus designs, and intact celadon-glazed dishes. “This porcelain comes from a special kiln in Hebei province, northern China,” stated China expert Peter Schwarz.
This treasure, valued at several million USD, will either be sold to a national museum or auctioned off in 2006-2007.
M.T. (according to AFP)
