Page 57 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

1 Bound for America: A Historical and Archaeological … 23

1.2.3 Underwater Archaeology on the Shipwrecks
Originally Destinating to Manila

As the main maritime terminal of mainland eastern Asia transporting to Manila
seaport, a series of shipwrecks were investigated in the near shore region next to
Yuegang and its adjacent coast, identi!ed as the relics of Hokkien junks outbound
for Manila in the late Ming and Qing dynasties. These shipwrecks such as Nan’ao
(!$), Guang’ao (#$), Donggu (&+), Gulei (+'), Baiyu ("#), dating from
the 16th to 18th century, containing a series of cargo remains originally destinated
for Manila for galleon trade.
Nan’ao shipwreck is located at south of Nan’ao island in the eastern Guangdong
province and the border region to southern Fujian, were investigated in 2007 and
excavated in 2010–2012. The wrecked hull was reconstructed to be 27 m long and
7.8 m wide with a sharp bottom of external feature and watertight compartments of
internal cabin structure, which was taken as the traditional type of Fuchuan (!#,
Fujian Boat). The latest investigation on the timber remain reveals that the 26
watertight compartments of the Nan’ao shipwreck are much more crowded than the
traditional Fuchuan (Boat of Fujian Type, !# ) of Song and Yuan dynasty
showed in Quanzhou shipwreck. Archaeologists proposed that the crowded
watertight compartment of internal cabin structure of junk in late Ming Dynasty
might have been the result of international cultural influence of shipbuilding
technique from Spanish and Portuguese (Zhou 2017). The iron cannon which had
been known as Franc was also salvaged from the shipwreck site and was taken as
another evidence of European influence. Most of artifacts collected from the
shipwreck site are about 25,000 pieces of ceramic, including both Zhangzhou and
Jingdezhen kiln systems (Sun 2012; Zhou 2017). These blue and white porcelain of
Zhangzhou kiln system had been identi!ed as products of Erlong and Dongkou
kilns in Nansheng Stream valley dating from late 16th to early 17th century, which
had been transported along the West Stream and Jiulongjiang River to Yuegang. So
the Nan’ao shipwreck could be the junk of Yuegang outbound for Manila.
Guang’ao shipwreck is located at Guang’ao seaport in Dahao ("') district of
Shantou ((%), Guangdong province. It was investigated in 1995 and dated to the
middle of 17th century. The artifacts salvaged from the site include of!cial bronze
seal with inscription of Chinese characters as Fanqian Zhongzhenbo Qianzhen
Qianxie Guanfang (of!cial seal of allegiance Zhongzhenbo as the military general
of Koxinga, !#%"####,'%), and the bronze canon with inscription of
Koxinga ("!&), indicating that this shipwreck had been the remain of Koxinga’s
commercial group (GDPIACR et al. 2000).
Donggu shipwreck is located at the near shore shallow water region of south-
eastern coast of Dongshan island, was investigated and excavated in 2001–2005.
The timber remain had been destroyed badly and the hull structure couldn’t be well
reconstructed. The artifacts uncovered from the site include ceramic, bronze, iron,
tin, stone objects, of which a coin with inscription of Yongli Tongbao (''%))
of Koxinga regime dating the site to middle of 17th century. Koxinga’s family had