An 800 year old merchant ship,the Nanhai #1,was raised today off the southern coast of China.Believed to have sunk laden with porcelain and other treasures,it was discovered in 65 feet of water back in 1987.The 100 foot ship was lifted by a specially constructed steel basket to a waiting barge,which will transport the relic to a glass pool in a museum that closely mimics the conditions the shipwreck has been in since about 1127 AD.The public will be able to view the extended excavation of the ship thru the glass containing pool.
An initial on-site excavation found green and blue porcelains,gold & silver,and over 6,000 copper coins and it is speculated that many more rare treasures are still within.
I have mixed feelings about them bringing her up....while it is an AMAZING historical artifact,it was also the final resting place for whomever was aboard so many centuries ago when it sank and while I doubt any human remains have survived so long,the fact is these lost souls still reside with the vessel.
It reminds me of the discovery of the Titanic wreck almost 20 years ago by Robert Ballard.Although it was breathtaking to see a piece of maritime history finally,alot of "grave-robbers" plundered the ship initially and Ballard himself lamented that so many items from the shipwreck were taken and sold for profit.Many of those artifacts made it into museums but private collectors got their share too.
Nevertheless,this is still a monumental discovery and I am still dumbfounded that something built so long ago is still intact for the most part.Can't wait to see it on Discovery Channel,if the Red China government allows it to be documented.
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