The cultural relics of the Six Dynasties are in the air, and the sky is light and cloudy, and the ancient and modern are the same - Du Mu
The significance of the existence of cultural relics is to help us understand the life of the ancient working people, let us understand history, learn experiences and lessons from history, and thus obtain a better life.
At the same time, cultural relics not only contain history, but also contain the simple feelings of the ancient working people. The preservation of these artifacts is the inheritance of our past lives, and their existence reminds us of the value and meaning of our existence: to make the world a better place.
Nanhai No. 1 was once a cargo ship filled with porcelain in ancient China, and it was mainly through the Maritime Silk Road during the Southern Song Dynasty that those domestically produced porcelain and other objects were transported abroad to connect the trade roads at home and abroad.
China spent a lot of time from the discovery of this shipwreck to the beginning of salvage excavation, the beginning of the study of ancient ships, the research and innovation of ancient ship salvage methods and the later salvage, etc., these work cost nearly 300 million yuan.
However, although the three hundred million funds are very much, when they see many treasures from the salvaged ancient ships, many people have said: This money is worth it.
Background of the salvage of Nanhai No. 1
During the Southern Song Dynasty, the political poverty was weak and the problem of redundant officials and redundant soldiers was serious. It is also oppressed by multiple co-existing regimes, and the development of the country is limited.
However, during the Southern Song Dynasty, the people's customs were civilized, and the speed and scale of commercial development were beyond the reach of successive dynasties. In the process of the prosperity and development of commerce in the Song Dynasty, regional markets gradually formed.
Thanks to the various canals and other transportation channels built by predecessors, the regional commercial trade of the Southern Song Dynasty developed rapidly. Not only was it connected to domestic transportation, but it also opened up international shipping lanes, which was the most important reason for the prosperity of overseas trade in the Song Dynasty.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, the variety of commodities continued to increase, and the types of commerce became more and more refined. Various handicrafts such as porcelain, Shu brocade and other goods also poured into the market.
The Song Dynasty developed not only commerce, but also maritime trade. The rise of the Maritime Silk Road connected the trade routes between China and foreign countries, enabling domestic and foreign trade to be connected.
Nanhai No. 1 is an ancient ship that sank during the Southern Song Dynasty. This ancient ship was mainly used to transport various domestic commodities to countries in the western region.
However, the ship encountered risks during transportation and had to sink in the waters of the city of Taishan, Guangdong Province, China. It has become a secret in the ancient seas waiting for future generations to discover.
After that, the ancient ship has experienced a hundred years of vicissitudes and the erosion of endless seawater. Finally, in 1987, it was discovered by chance.
The salvage process of Nanhai No. 1
This ancient ship is also the earliest, largest hull and most complete preserved ocean-going trade merchant ship among the maritime shipwrecks found in the world so far, which is of great research significance.
This ancient ship not only has precious cultural relics, but also plays an important role in promoting China's archaeological cause, so it took a long time from the discovery of the South China Sea No. 1 to the excavation and salvage.
After the discovery of the ancient ship, experts made a rough estimate of the artifacts inside the ancient ship, estimating that there were a large number of gold and silver porcelain and many other precious artifacts inside the ship.
However, due to the immaturity of salvage technology at that time, it was not possible to conduct salvage studies on ships. But experts have not given up on the study and exploration of ancient ships.
Although the research did not immediately begin, the experts also did a lot of preparatory work. At that time, the limitations of technical conditions prevented us from salvaging it completely and harmlessly.
Therefore, the experts decided to cooperate with Japanese salvage experts to jointly study and salvage the ancient ship. During this salvage process, experts found that the use of previous salvage techniques could not complete the work, so they began to study a new method, that is, the later overall salvage.
The overall salvage consumes capital technology, but this method can maximize the protection of the cultural relics of the ancient ship from damage.
In the early stages, experts have been studying the overall salvage and the problems that may occur in the process. When all the research was ready, the salvage team began to invest a lot of money and technology to start salvage, which lasted for nearly 9 months.
This research project on the salvage of ancient ships is not only a major progress in China's archaeological cause, but also the beginning of China's underwater archaeology cause, accumulating experience and methods for China's underwater archaeology cause.
The salvaged shipwreck is also known as "South China Sea One", and it is the salvage and study of it that allows us to witness the beginning of the underwater archaeology cause.
After years of surveying and salvage, experts have a deep grasp of its entire hull, the total area of the ship is huge, nearly 180 square meters.
The interior contains a large number of historical artifacts such as porcelain. After the boat was salvaged, archaeologists carried out the excavation and protection of cultural relics.
After several years of salvage and excavation of ancient ships, finally in 2019, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage released the report on the salvage and excavation of ancient ships.
Precious cultural relics in Nanhai No. 1
The salvage and excavation of this ancient ship cost nearly 300 million yuan, and also consumed the time and energy of countless salvage staff and excavators.
It turns out that these efforts are worth it, because we use the method of overall salvage, so the overall structure of the ancient ship is not damaged, and all the cultural relics and porcelain are placed in the position before the sinking, and the overall arrangement is greatly reduced, which greatly reduces the difficulty of excavation.
Among these cultural relics are Chinese porcelain, cultural relics and iron tools, as well as cultural relics in the Western style. The number of cultural relics on board has reached more than 140,000, and the total number of cultural relics is expected to exceed 160,000, which is very rich, and it can be said that it is the first ship in ancient and modern times.
The cultural relics that came out of the water inside were mainly the more popular artifacts of the Southern Song Dynasty at that time, and they were sold to the Western Regions through this ship to earn money. The goods on board also retain the design packaging of porcelain and other objects of the time.
The existing goods in the ship are mainly porcelain and iron, and there are also a considerable number of coins, and organic goods such as paper and silk may have been decomposed and no longer exist.
It is reported that a total of more than 14,000 sets of cultural relics, 2,575 specimens, and 55 tons of condensation were unearthed, including more than 13,000 sets of porcelain, 151 sets of goldware, 124 sets of silverware, 170 pieces of bronze, about 17,000 pieces of copper coins, and a large number of animal and plant specimens, boats and woods. In total, there are close to 80,000 rare treasures, and many experts have said: "Wealth is difficult to estimate."
From these precious cultural relics and the way of preserving cultural relics, we can see the development of commercial trade in the Southern Song Dynasty, and we can also see the wisdom of the ancients. These are all valuable assets they have left for future generations.
The discovery of this ancient ship is an unprecedented discovery for the country, and the antiquities and porcelain it has preserved have become the precious wealth of the Chinese nation, and have made outstanding contributions to archaeologists to study the history of the Southern Song Dynasty and the development of the Maritime Silk Road.
The accidental discovery of Nanhai No. 1 has opened a new chapter in China's underwater archaeology, and when the shipwreck was discovered, experts did not rush to salvage it, but made preliminary preparations, and knew each other in order to win every battle.
Through the external research of ancient ships, China has also innovated the salvage method of ancient ships. Start salvage on the basis of previous preparations. After that, excavations were made of artifacts such as artifacts and porcelain from the ancient ships. The number and value of these cultural relics out of the water is unprecedented.
Even if it cost a lot of money and cost so much manpower and material resources, many people said that this time the effort was very worthwhile.
At the same time, the salvage and excavation work of the Nanhai No. 1 also embodies the lofty spirit of the Chinese nation of fearless hardships and arduous struggle, and embodies the wisdom of the working people of our country.