Page 83 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

50 C. Zhou

important reasons of unfortunate wrecking accident. Another shipwreck of Song
Dynasty or Yuan Dynasty was also investigated in this region less than one kilo-
meter away from Nan’ao No. I shipwreck.

3.1 The Remnants of Nan’ao No. I Shipwreck Site

The pre-disturbance survey showed that a small quantity of ceramic artifacts and
several pieces of concretion scattering on the surface of the Nan’ao No. I shipwreck
site. After three years’ underwater archaeological excavation by pumping the sandy
and silty sediments, the hull remain of Nan’ao No. I shipwreck, which reclined on
the sandy seabed and being shallowly buried by sandy layers was uncovered.
The remain of the hull structure lies from north to south underwater, with bow in
the north and stern in the south, tilting 8°–13° from west to east. The hull is
24.85 m long from bow to stern with 24 bulkheads, forming 25 watertight com-
partments (holds or cabins), each of which measures 80–100 cm in length. These
bulkheads are signed archaeologically as N1–N18 from back-center to front part
(north) and S1–S6 from back-center to rear part (south) according to the successive
uncovering underwater. The widest bulkhead is N5, which lies in the middle of the
boat, with a residual width of 7.5 m. N5 is also the deepest compartment with more
than 1 m deep (Fig. 3.1). This hull structure presents the maximum and the most
concentrated compartments in ancient shipwrecks that have been discovered in
China.

3.1.1 The Discovery of Wooden Hull Structure

For the reason of the dif!culty of working inside the narrow compartment and the
obstacle of the large concretion on the surface of the site, the underwater excavation
of sandy and silty mud sediment on the wreck hull has not completely done to the
bottom of the compartments. But the excavation shows us well the wooden hull
composition and structural elements inside the holds of the vessel.
The hold was formed by the cross rib, bulkhead, bottom plank and side plank,
attached timer on the bottom plank. Taking compartment N11 for example, it is
90 cm deep, 449 cm wide and 92 cm long (the distance between two bulkheads).
The arc-shaped rib is closely clung between the bottom\side plank and the bulk-
head. Two log beams are attached respectively next to the front and back bulkheads
at the bottom of plank, on which a thin timber is put to be a plain floor of the
compartment. This compartment is !lled with various of pottery pots, some of them
are loaded with fruits remain such as rhizoma smilacis glabrae.
The stern compartment is located in S6. The stern board is slanted to the rear
(south). Two square timbers are longitudinally !xed to the middle of the bottom
plank with 1 m distance, which is used to !x the rudder.