Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship

Ca Mau ancient ship is a ship that was archaeological excavated in 1998-1999. This is China's export ceramics ship that is on its way from Guangzhou to Europe.

Picture 1 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
Stone seal found in Ca Mau ancient ship. It was decoded by Paul A.Van Dyke of Macau University. According to this author, in the 18th century, about 30 Chinese boats docked in Southeast Asia and each year some boats arrived in Batavia (present-day Jakata). The names of some Chinese boats mentioned are Zhang, Ye, Cai, Qiu, Yan, Chen and Pan. Stone imprints in Ca Mau ancient ship called Pan Tingcai, Vietnamese is Phan Dinh Thai. He may be a shipper or a person who helps the captain of the Ca Mau ship.

Picture 2 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
The date of the ancient Ca Mau ship is around 1725. Professor Christiaan JA Jorg, in the article 'The Ca Mau porcelain cargo', believes that the ceramics in Ca Mau ship belong to two kangxi styles and the new ones according to Yongzheng style.

In the picture is Chinese ceramics. Ceramics in the ancient Ca Mau ship, occupying a large amount of white and white porcelain. They have different sizes, mouth diameter from 20.5cm - 29.2cm, from 2.6cm - 3cm high. The plates are of the same style, flared mouths, flat hearts, low and wide soles.

Chinese porcelain plate. Ceramics in the ancient Ca Mau ship occupies a large amount of white and green. Due to the demand of the European market, Chinese export kilns must meet the new design, according to the order requirements and the pattern of each item. Besides the types and themes of traditional Chinese patterns, there are also more European-style texts.

Picture 3 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
Close up of ceramic plate. The platter draws landscape of ramparts, clouds, waves, pine trees, 3 people wearing hats, coats, high boots, a guide. The edge of the disc is printed with a beveled edge of the hook. The outside of the drawing plate of 3 flowers and leaves.

This well-known and decorated disc is often described as the Scheveningen background, although in the past it was known as the Deshinia landscape, where the Dutch occupied in the second half of the 17th and 18th centuries. Since the 18th century, this type of disk has been called 'Scheveningen landscape' in a sales directory dating back to 1778.

Picture 4 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
Japanese porcelain plate. Chinese porcelain plates are based on European style according to order requirements and are therefore called 'Chinese goods' . According to documents from many archaeological experts, Japanese disks with similar decorations were produced in the Arita furnace area for the Netherlands in about 1,700. Those templates are known as 'Scheveningen landscapes'.

This disc is based on a disc of the Delf town in the Netherlands and was placed by the Dutch in Deshima for extensive production. Pattern motifs on this plate are quite popular on cups, plates for food and other kitchen utensils. Most of these forms date back to about the first quarter of the 18th century, but there were no more designs after 1730.

Picture 5 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
Type of glazed porcelain plates in Ca Mau ancient ship. The mouth diameter is 29.5cm and 37cm, inside the heart are 2 leaf flowers, around the umbrella, inside the flowers and the symbol of precious objects, are also the traditional white and white porcelain of Japan. export according to the requirements of the Dutch.

Picture 6 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
Chinese porcelain vase. In Ca Mau ancient ship, there are also bottles with straps, vertical mouth, cylindrical neck, lower bulge, concave bottom, annular straps, mouth diameter 8.5cm, height from 20 to 20.5cm . Decoration This type of vase is a character landscape according to ancient Chinese or leaf flowers.

Picture 7 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
There is also a bottle with straps, papaya shape, mouth diameter of 4.2cm, height of 15.7cm. Decorated on this type of vase painted landscape painting the castle.

Picture 8 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
English porcelain vase (left) and Japanese porcelain vase 9 (right) It is interesting that when comparing the type of bottle with this strap, we can see the similarity between the bottle with Ca Mau ring, date 1725 with a vase with Japanese Imari ware, 17th century and Bristol ware of England, 18th century.

Picture 9 of Treasures in Ca Mau ancient ship
Chinese porcelain vase. In the process of learning about ceramics in ancient Ca Mau ships, archaeologists believe that, although the number of ceramic goods on the ancient Ca Mau ship is very large, some of them have European style. But it does not mean that all of these goods go to Batavia or meet Western customers.

This case is similar to the goods in Hon Cau ancient ship, which happened a few decades before Ca Mau ship, it is likely that the shipment to Batavia is sold to intermediate customers. Because in addition to the types of manufactured goods from the Duc Canh kiln area, Ca Mau ancient ceramics are also procured from various sources. Therefore, according to archaeologists, this commodity may be for the Southeast Asian market.

The exceptionally rich status of the types of tea and coffee cups and plates that appear in the mass of Ca Mau ceramics is also a testament to the strong export of Chinese goods at the end of the 17th century. early 18th century.

The antiquities are on display at the Museum of Vietnamese History, and were introduced in a three-day workshop in Hanoi on archeology. In the next two years, many archaeological treasures of Vietnam will go to Germany for exhibition.