Spherical bottle from the Longquan shipwreck

Shipwreck Evidence

The vast extent of early inter-Asian trade is evident in the many countries where export ceramics have been found. Ancient ceramics, sometimes in near-pristine condition, have continued to appear in local Southeast Asian markets in recent years.

Often these pieces were discovered by fishers, who pulled up objects when trawling the ocean floor. The ceramics in their nets came from some of the many shipwrecks that can still be found in the waterways where, centuries ago, huge ships carried cargoes of trade wares.

In the past few decades, underwater archaeologists have been able to scientifically excavate several of these shipwrecks, providing us with invaluable information not only about the types of ceramics produced but also about larger patterns of maritime trade.

Although China dominated the maritime ceramic trade for centuries, shipwrecks containing cargoes full of wares from Thailand and Vietnam indicate the growing competition from Southeast Asia for the export market.