Dung Quat Economic Zone from above. The X symbol in the photo marks the position where the shipwreck was discovered (Photo: VNA)Quang Ngai (VNA) — The People’s Committee of Quang Ngaiprovince has approved the excavation of a wrecked ancient ship that was recentlydiscovered in the central province’s Dung Quat Economic Zone.
The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will host theexcavation, and will collaborate with relevant organisations to implement thework over 30 days or longer.
The excavation units will include divers equipped with cameras to identify theexact location and size of the vessel and to photograph it.
Additionally, they will outline the border of the shipwreck’s location and thesurrounding area which might contains antiques from the ship and collectscientific data about the excavated area.
Previously, on July 26 and 27, workers of Hao Hung Limited Company discoveredceramic, terracotta and wooden fragments flowing in pipes while they weredredging water passages to construct the harbour in Dung Quat Sea Area.
Initial investigations revealed that it was a 20-30 metre long ship. Itwas discovered at about six to seven metres off the coast and about nine-metresdeep in the sand near Tuyet Diem 3 village in Binh Thuan commune.
The sunken ship contains many ceramic objects like bowls and dishes, which isassumed to date back to China's Ming Dynasty in the 16th century by specialists. Theship may have been transporting ceramic and terracotta items before sinking.The excavated objects will receive initial treatments before being transportedto Quang Ngai Comprehensive Museum for preservation.
According to Doan Ngoc Khoi, Vice Director of the museum, trader ships from thenorth used to harbour in the province to trade and buy food and water whileavoiding storms during their voyages southwards.
The sea area in Binh Chau commune is believed to be the resting place for manywrecks dating from the eighth to 18th century. Archeologists havediscovered that all the ships were burnt before being sunken, which might beattributed to attacks by pirates.
According to archeologist Nguyen Tuan Lam, the area has much heritage values.
“The area is not only rich in archeological heritage, as ‘the cemetery of thesunken ships’ that dated back to various historical periods, but also geologicheritage as it contains a unique volcanic deposit,” said Lam in an interviewwith zing.vn.-VNA
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