Page 46 - Zhangzhou Or Swatow The Collection of Zhangzhou Ware at the Princessehof Museum, Leeuwarden, Netherlands

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Zhangzhou Ware at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

The Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, held a central position for maritime trade routes linking Europe with
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the East. In the 17 century, starting from 1652, it served as a base for the Dutch East India Company, the
VOC; later, from 1795, for the British. The base was mainly for planting grains, vegetables and fruit and keeping
cattle providing supplies for the ships on their way.

The evidence of Chinese porcelain at the Cape of Good Hope is documented by excavations of colonial sites
and shipwrecks.

On these colonial sites large numbers of “grove porseleinen”, many of them Zhangzhou wares, were
excavated. It seems that part of the Asiatic trade of the VOC was not shipped to the Netherlands, but was
destined for the Cape. Dishes and bowls of the Zhangzhou type seemed to be used as domestic utilitarian
wares by the commoners, while “fine” wares made in Jingdezhen were used by the colonial officials.

Apart from excavations a number of shipwrecks carrying Chinese porcelain were salvaged at the Cape, which
was dangerous for Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch ships. In 1630, the Portuguese ship Sao Goncalo, returning
from Goa, sank on the Cape on the return voyage to Portugal in Plettenberg Bay, while undergoing repairs.
Artefacts at the associated camp site included Chinese porcelain of the Kraak and Zhangzhou type.

Ref.: Klose TOCS 57, 1992-93; Klose OCS newsletter 2003; Woodward 1974

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