Page 257 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

13 Archaeological Distribution of Chinese Porcelain in Mexico 229

Acapulco (PAMPA), led by Dr. Junco, is currently excavating at the Fortress of San
Diego and at the infrastructure projects initiated by the local government in
downtown Acapulco, as well as undertaking underwater excavations in the bay.
The project began in 2016 with the excavation of a trash pit along the outer wall
of the Fort of San Diego by Junco, Manzanilla and Estrada (the book with the
results up to this day is being compiled at the moment for publishing). After a week,
digging a 2 m by 1 m trench, a signi!cant amount of Chinese porcelain shards
along with Asian stoneware, majolica from several parts of Mexico, English
ceramics, glass, bone, metal and other archaeological materials, it was clear
Acapulco had great potential for historical archaeology and studies regarding the
Asian commerce for which the harbor had been of!cially appointed by Spain in the
sixteenth century. The Chinese ceramic fragments from this excavation have no
stratigraphic value as all objects from different periods were mingled together.
However, it was possible to identify porcelain from the Ming dynasty, from the
Wan Li period to late eighteenth to early nineteenth century Chine de Commande
wares among which an armorial shard presented the monogram of Ferdinand VII,
the last Spanish king to rule over New Spain until its independence in 1821. Several
pieces of seventeenth century Kraak porcelain are represented, plates decorated
with landscapes characteristic of Canton and Nanking patterns, as well as two
spoons dating to the nineteenth century.
Thus started the project and the next !eld season in 2017 was carried out with
the participation of undergraduate students from the University of Zacatecas. Three
excavation units were undertaken in the Fort, one close to the !rst test pit, the other
two in different parts. The results of this were similar in distribution of materials but
with less quantities save for the one close to the initial test pit which yielded large
amounts and also other objects such as two silver half real coins of the late Bourbon
period and lead shots. Nonetheless, the most interesting part of the !eld season was
the encounter of a ditch in the downtown area of Acapulco excavated by municipal
authorities for a large pipe to supply fresh water. The ditch was 14 m in length and
1 m and a half in width by 2 m deep running along the west side of the Cathedral.
From the deposits thousands of shards emerged in no precise stratigraphic context,
probably due to previous interventions for the installation of electric, telephone and
sewer lines.
The collection of over 5000 shards of Asian ceramics currently being studied has
opened a window on to the types carried by the Manila Galleon to New Spain
throughout the Colonial period, and the not so well known nineteenth century
commerce of the port. Large quantities of Kraak wares were recorded. Speci!cally
the form and style referred to as “crow cup”. Another large group consisted of the
earlier plates decorated with deer in a park or forest setting (Fig. 13.7), which
interestingly started in the early part of the Manila Galleon route in the 1570s with
great quality Jingdezhen examples to very rough early seventeenth century Fukien
pieces. Also, some Dehua !gures and cups, Sancai !gures, wucai pieces, and
Batavian brown cups (café au lait), were recorded.
Work where ditches have been dug to accommodate service lines have yielded
more materials of similar or identical characteristics. So far, underwater excavated