An ancient treasure-bestowed merchant ship settled to the bottom of the South China Sea in a bed of protective mud at least 800 years ago.
The ship, named the Nanhai No. 1 or “South China Sea No. 1,” had survived below 82 ft (25m) water and sat on the sea floor while full of porcelain, gold, jewels, coins and other artifacts.
Chinese archaeologists have raised an 800 year-old merchant ship built during the Song dynasty (960-1279). It’s dubbed the "Titanic of China" and before sinking, it was hauling a treasure trove of porcelain, gold, jewels and other artifacts, including 6,000 coins.
The treasure ship, officially labeled Nanhai No. 1, or “South China Sea No. 1,” was discovered 82 ft (25m) below water in a bed of mud. That mud helped to preserve the ancient ship and its contents for all these years.
Thousands of artifacts have been recovered and the remarkable next phase has already occurred - the Nanhai 1 was lifted from the sea floor and loaded onto a cargo ship.
|
||||||||
