Three years ago, local fishermen accidentally pulled up some porcelain while fishing off the coast of Shantou, close to Nan'ao Island. Studies from archaeologists proved they were from the Ming Dynasty. And the type sold abroad by a merchant vessel. The vessel was later located and named Nan'ao Number One.

Off the coast of southern Guangdong Province is the sunken vessel Nan'ao Number One on the sea floor. Her bow is facing south.

Archaeologists says its at least 25 meters long and more than 7 meters wide.

The upper floor of the vessel has rotted away after several hundred years of lying in her watery grave. But, the rest of the ship is looking good.

Nan'ao Number One is considered the best preserved ancient shipwreck in China.

Yao Yingjie, Shantou Culture and Press Bureau Chief, said, "Shantou sits on the coast of the South Sea, it is the door to the ocean."

The discovery of this vessel shows the important position of Shantou as a port of the silk road in the sea.

Sun Jian said, "Most of the goods on the ship are outbound porcelains in the late Ming Dynasty. The discovery will be very helpful for China's history of shipping and ship making. "

The clearing work of the vessel has been done and archaeologists are now ready for further excavation and study of the ancient underwater relics.

Hopefully that will provide us with more information of this mysterious shipwreck like where it's from, where it was going and who booked the shipload of porcelains.

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