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and the dating of objects were mainly done by visual archaeological typological methods. As a result, they
observation. To ensure the reliability of the results, can be studied from different perspectives in the future.
experts of each type of ware were invited to review these
findings. For example, researchers familiar with Yue, As the preliminary study is now complete, the researchers
Longquan, Jingdezhen and Fujian kiln sites from involved in the project, including the author, are engaged in
Zhejiang and Fujian Provincial Archaeological analysing the materials obtained in Kenya, comparing and
Institutes as well as the Palace Museum in Beijing were contrasting them with Chinese ceramics found around the
invited to Kenya to participate in the evaluation of these Indian Ocean rim at other sites as well as in China itself, in
ceramics. Archaeometric analysis of unearthed addition to the eventual writing of the final report. The
ceramics was performed by Associate Professor Cui reports of some of these areas are, however, complete and
Jianfeng of Peking University who visited Kenya twice have yielded some significant preliminary results. This
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to conduct the on-site elemental analysis of the Chinese chapter will discuss some of these findings, focusing
ceramics. The Thermo-Fisher Scientific’s Niton XL3t specifically on Ming ceramics found at Kenyan coastal sites
900 handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyser was as well as some important related issues of the Ming
used to analyse the glazed surface of the samples. The dynasty’s ceramics trade and its history in general.
data of ten elements, Zirconium (Zr), Strontium (Sr),
Rubidium (Rb), Thorium (Th), Iron (Fe), Manganese General overview of the Chinese ceramics excavated
(Mn), Titanium (Ti), Scandium (Sc), Calcium (Ca) and from Kenyan coastal areas
Potassium (K), was collected for statistical analytical East Africa, or more precisely the terminal of the South
purposes. The underglaze colour elements of some of China Sea and Indian Ocean rim, was an important node in
the Yuan dynasty blue-and-white wares, underglaze trading networks. Starting from the 9th century, cities in
copper red wares and the blue-and-white wares in Fort modern-day Kenya and Tanzania were important locations
Jesus Museum were analysed to identify the sources of in the trading circle of the Indian Ocean rim. Unearthed
the pigment materials and their dating. More than ceramic wares found in East Africa show that there was a
1,000 records were made. The handheld analyser has long history of the exportation of Chinese ceramics to this
proven effective in the identification of kiln origins. region. A number of Changsha (Pl. 28.2) and Ding wares of
Therefore, the results are reliable and have served as the the 9th century, Yue wares of the 10th century (Pl. 28.3) as
foundation for further research. well as 10th-century Fanchang white wares of Anhui
2. Each of the 37 sites of the Kenyan coastal area where province have been unearthed in Kenyan coastal areas.
Chinese ceramics were found have been investigated Research has shown that the large scale export of Chinese
and five sites were excavated by our team. All 9,552 ceramics by sea began in the mid-8th century and rapidly
Chinese shards were treated as one unit. After dating reached a peak in the late Tang to early Northern Song
and identifying their production kiln, shards were dynasty in the 9th–10th centuries. During this period a
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analysed in detail. Since the 1960s, research on Chinese range of ceramic exports reached East African coastal areas,
ceramics from the sites located along the Indian Ocean which were the terminals of Chinese ceramic exportation.
rim has focused on identifying the types of wares at At this time, however, the ceramics were imported through
each individual site at a particular time. With a detailed entrepôts.
statistical study, a better understanding of the export of Chinese ceramics discovered in East Africa show that a
Chinese ceramics can be achieved. second peak was reached during the late Southern Song to
3. Archaeological information was extracted from each early Ming dynasty in the 13th to early 15th centuries when
sample. Some types of Chinese porcelain shards were Chinese merchants travelled to the East Africa regions.
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unearthed in large numbers and were sorted using During this second phase, the quantity of Chinese ceramics

Plate 28.2 Changsha ware shards of the 9th
century unearthed from Shanga site, Pate
Island

246 | Ming China: Courts and Contacts 1400–1450