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VietNamNet Bridge – The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ngai Province has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s permission to excavate antiquities in a shipwreck in Binh Chau and to send experts of the Archaeological Institute to survey the shipwreck.
On September 11, in the face of hundreds of fishermen rushed to salvage antiques in Chau Thuan Bien hamlet in Binh Chau Commune, Binh Son District of Quang Ngai province, the local government instructed police and border guards to strictly protect the waters where fishermen have discovered the shipwreck with precious antiques dating back 500 years.
The Quang Ngai authorities organized an urgent meeting on the evening of September 10 to direct relevant agencies to zone and protect the area where fishermen discovered and salvaged antiques.
Quang Ngai’s Vice Chairman Le Quang Thich directed the local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to ask the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s permission for urgently excavate the shipwreck and appraise the antiques.
Deputy Director of the Museum of Quang Ngai Le Thi Chung said that after the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism allows the province to perform urgent excavation, within three days the museum would coordinate with the Vietnam Archaeological Institute and a company specializing in marine salvage to fish out antiques.
The authorities have seized about 35 artifacts including: bowls, cups, plates with finely carved patterns. Ms. Chung said that the whole of the ceramic artifacts are ceramic items of the Ming Dynasty in China in the 15th century.
In 1999, the Museum of Quang Ngai performed archaeological excavation in Chau Thuan Bien hamlet, around 1km from the shore. Hundreds of kilograms of antiques, mostly ceramics and stone artifacts on a wreck in the Ming dynasty (15th -17th centuries). Some artifacts are on display at the Vietnam History Museum with the theme "Culture of the sea and islands."
According to many fisherman in Chau Thuan Bien hamlet, artifacts are found only about 100 meters from shore, buried deep under the sea about 3 meters. From September 7, a ship owner is said to collect the highest number of artifacts – around 200 ceramic items.
"Around 30 other ships have also salvaged dozens of other artifacts. Some of them earn a billion dong from selling antiques", a fisherman disclosed.
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