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{{Short description|Archaeological discovery}}
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{{Coord|02|45|00|S|107|36|36|E|display=title}}
[[File:Belitung shipwreck location.jpg|thumb|450px|alt=Map of Belitung Island showing the wreck site marked just off the north-west coast|Map of Belitung Island showing the Belitung shipwreck marked with a red cross (2°45′00"S, 107°35′36"E)]]
The '''Belitung shipwreck'''<ref name=MarineEX1>{{cite web |title=THE BELITUNG (TANG) SHIPWRECK (9th C.) |publisher=Marine Explorations |url=http://www.maritime-explorations.com/belitung.htm
The wreck has given archaeologists two major discoveries: the biggest single collection of [[Tang dynasty]] artefacts found in one location outside of China, the so-called "Tang Treasure"; and the Arabian dhow, which gives a new insight into the trade routes between China and the Middle East during that period. The treasure has been kept as one collection and, during the excavation, the efforts to preserve the integrity of the site and its cargo have resulted in detailed archaeological evidence. This evidence has given new insight into the construction methods used in shipbuilding, and the items and style of artefacts has revealed previously unknown facts about the trade between the two areas.
At the present, the Tang dynasty treasures recovered from the Belitung shipwreck are located in a permanent exhibition in the [[Asian Civilisations Museum]] in Singapore under the name "Tang Shipwreck".<ref>{{
==Discovery and route==
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===Discovery===
The wreck was discovered by fishermen in 1998 in the [[Gaspar Strait|Gelasa Strait]] in {{convert|17|m}} of water.<ref>[https
===Route===
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==Ship and construction==
[[
The shipwrecked dhow was approximately {{convert|21|ft|m|disp=flip}} wide and {{convert|58|ft|m|disp=flip}} long<ref name=WAMF>{{cite journal |last=Flecker |first=Michael |title=A ninth-century AD Arab or Indian shipwreck in Indonesia: First evidence for direct trade with China |journal=World Archaeology |date=1 January 2001 |volume=32 |series=Shipwrecks |issue=3 |pages=335–354
The wreck timbers were found under a sediment that preserved the remains of the wooden vessel, without which the wreck would have been lost due to [[marine worm]]s.<ref name=ADN>{{cite web |title=Secrets of the Tang Treasure Ship |publisher=Archaeology Daily News |url=http://www.archaeologydaily.com/news/200908091865/Secrets-of-the-Tang-Treasure-Ship.html
Pieces of the original timbers were preserved enough to allow scientists to analyse them and determine some of the [[
===Construction techniques===
{{See also|Lashed-lug boat}}
The ship was constructed around a {{convert|15.3|m|ft}} long [[
Michael Flecker, the chief excavating archaeologist at the site, compared the wrecked ship to three types of the same period and concluded that the wreck most resembled "[[lashed-lug]]" ships of
===Wood types===
Samples of wood from the shipwreck were sent for analysis at the Forest and Forest Products division of the [[Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation]] (CSIRO) in Australia.<ref name=IJNAFlecker1/><ref name=CSIROIlicdiv>{{cite web |title=Wood identification – Indiana Jones' envy |publisher=CSIRO
Many types of wood have been positively identified: teak (''[[Tectona grandis]]'') was used for the through-beams and is resilient to the [[
The species used for the hull planks was not positively identified but is thought to be ''[[Amoora]]'' of the family [[Meliaceae]]. The timber for the frames was similarly not definitively determined, although one frame was probably of ''Amoora'' or of the genus ''[[Afzelia]]'' of the family Fabaceae.<ref name=IJNAFlecker1/> ''Afzelia'' is interesting in that the three main species ''[[Afzelia africana|A. africana]]'', ''[[Afzelia bipindensis|A. bipindensis]]'' and ''[[Afzelia pachyloba|A. pachyloba]]'' are mostly found in a small part of Africa, stretching from the mid-western coast in a thin band
The ship could originally have been said to be of Arabian or Indian origin, as there is little to differentiate between ships of the area during that period, in regard to construction techniques—though its frame uses a species of tree that is only found in a small part of Africa.<ref name=ARI16b/> After analysing the hull form, timber species, and construction methods, Ilic concluded that the wreck was of Indian or Arabian origin. India was considered the more probable place of construction but Arabian construction was not ruled out, as the timber used was commonly imported to the Middle East for use in shipbuilding.<ref name=IJNAFlecker1/> Flecker concluded that the wreck was an Arabian ship in his 2010 chapter from the Sackler exhibition catalogue, arguing that "from an analysis of construction methods and materials and hull form, the author has determined that the Belitung wreck is an Arab vessel."<ref name=IJNAFlecker1/>{{rp|119}}
===Legacy===
Present-day knowledge of the original materials and methods used in construction of this particular Arab dhow stems largely from the shipwreck itself. The ''[[Jewel of Muscat]]'' reconstruction, a replica made as an exact copy of the wreck, has shown that the ship resembles a ''baitl qarib'', a type of ship still found in Oman today.<ref name=NatGeo3/>
The ship's timbers and artefacts were shown to the public for the first time in 2011. The world debut exhibition of the collection of artefacts, as well as timbers from the ship, took place in the [[ArtScience Museum]], adjacent to Singapore's [[Marina Bay Sands]].<ref>{{
==Cargo and "Tang treasure"==
{{
The wreck held three main types of Chinese "wares" in the form of bowls: [[Chinese ceramics#Sui and Tang dynasties: 581-907|Changsha ware]] (produced in kilns in [[Tongguan Subdistrict|Tongguan]]), the majority of the 60,000 items, were originally packed in either straw cylinders or "Dusun" storage jars; [[Blanc de Chine|White-ware]], manufactured in the [[Chinese ceramics#Ding ware|Ding kilns]] and including the earliest known intact underglaze [[
Included in the cargo were items of varying purposes, from spice jars (''[[
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" perrow="4">
File:Bronze mirror with cosmological decoration from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110618.jpg|A bronze mirror with a cosmological decoration and inscription, 8th century, with inscription that says "Made on the 29th day of the 11th month of the first year of the wuxu era of the Qianyuan reign"
File:Changsha bowls from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110319-03.jpg|Bowls from kilns in [[Changsha]], [[Hunan]]
File:Oval lobed gold bowls from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110319.jpg|Two Tang
File:Square lobed gold dishes from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110618.jpg|A pair of square lobed gold dishes with chased insects, flowers and knotted ribbons
File:Octagonal footed gold cup from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110618-01.jpg|A Tang octagonal gold cup with a thumb plate at the top of its handle, manufactured probably in Yangzhou, Jiangsu
File:Dish with floral lozenge motif from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110618.jpg|A [[
File:Ewer with feline-shaped handle from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110618-02.jpg|A [[pitcher (container)|ewer]] with [[lug (knob)|lugs]], a dragon-head spout, and feline-shaped handle; From North China (perhaps [[Hebei]])
File:Monumental ewer from the Belitung shipwreck, ArtScience Museum, Singapore - 20110618-01.jpg|A monumental ewer with incised floral lozenges and clouds, made of [[ceramic glaze|glazed]] [[stoneware]] with copper-green splashes over a white [[slip (ceramics)|slip]]; probably from the [[Gongyi|Gongxian]] kilns, [[Henan]]
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===Current disposition===
Tilman Walterfang's company formed a contract of cooperation with the original Indonesian salvage company<ref name="FSSB"
The cargo was purchased for around 32 million [[USD]] by a private company, the Sentosa Leisure Group (now the public [[Sentosa Development Corporation]]), and the [[Government of Singapore|Singaporean government]] in 2005, and loaned to the Singapore Tourism Board.<ref>{{cite web
The debut exhibit of the treasure ran from 19 February 2011 to 31 July 2011 at the [[ArtScience Museum]] in [[Singapore]].<ref>{{cite web |title=SHIPWRECKED: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds |url=http://www.visitsingapore.com/see-do-singapore/arts/museums-galleries/artscience-museum/ |access-date=5 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716010101/http://www.visitsingapore.com/see%2Ddo%2Dsingapore/arts/museums%2Dgalleries/artscience%2Dmuseum/
In April 2015, it was announced that the Asian Civilisations Museum would house the Tang Shipwreck collection.<ref>{{
==Controversy==
The [[Sackler Gallery]], part of the Smithsonian Institution, was due to host the US premiere exhibition of the Belitung cargo in early 2012—a date set to coincide with the Smithsonian museum's 25th anniversary celebration.<ref name=SISackUSprem>{{cite web |title=Smithsonian and Singapore Organize World Tour of Shipwreck Treasure |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |url=http://www.asia.si.edu/press/prShipwreck.htm |access-date=28 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927094716/http://www.asia.si.edu/press/prShipwreck.htm |archive-date=27 September 2010
Proponents of the arguments to display the works claim that the excavation was indeed legal as the work was carried out in accordance with Indonesian law, at the request of the Indonesian government, and in accordance with international laws at the time.<ref name=FSGcontrov>{{citation |title=Smithsonian Hosts Discussion on Issues Surrounding the Exhibition of the Belitung Cargo |work=Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds |publisher=The Smithsonian Institution |type=Press release |date=25 April 2011 |quote=Found in shallow water, the shipwreck was immediately vulnerable to looting and accidental destruction from fishing activity. Recognizing the danger to the site, Indonesian authorities granted a license to a commercial salvage company to recover the ship and its cargo.}}</ref> James P. Delgado, director of maritime heritage at the United States Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said that "allowing any of the finds from an excavation to be sold betrays the most basic aspects of research" with the ''New York Times'' going on to report that, "he [Delgado] wished the Belitung shipwreck had been academically excavated. But unlike some of his colleagues, he said that instead of canceling the exhibition, the Smithsonian could use it to educate the public about the consequences of the commercialization of underwater heritage."<ref name=TNYTcontrov2/>
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Some academics have expressed more definitive support for Tilman Walterfang’s excavation and treatment of the Belitung vessel and cargo.
Lu Caixia, a researcher at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, states in the newsletter of the International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden, Netherlands, that
[[Victor H. Mair|Prof. Victor H. Mair]], Professor of Chinese Language and Literature in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States defends the Smithsonian exhibition, claiming that the “educational and historical value of the collection is simply enormous, and those who have called for the cancellation of the exhibition are, in effect and in fact, denying access to the wealth of information embodied in the Belitung shipwreck, both to the lay public and to qualified researchers."<ref name="R1"/>
Dr. Sean Kingsley, Director of Wreck Watch International reminds that "Wrecks like these should be ‘feel good’ factors at times when the world has very serious and painful natural, economic and civil disasters to contend with" and "it hardly needs stating that no European and American museum collection is whiter than white."<ref>{{
In an interview with the Science Journal [[G. Wayne Clough]], the 12th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution assuaged
===Conventions by international organisations===
The Underwater Archaeology Resolutions that were adopted on 10 September 1993 by the International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM) state that:
{{
They also say that, "ICMM members should recognize that artefacts from underwater sites are integral parts of archaeological assemblages, which should remain intact for research and display" and that, "a commercially exploited heritage site is one in which the primary motive for investigation is private financial gain."<ref name=ICMMa/> The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ratified a set of rules for preserving and excavating underwater sites at the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage during 15 October — 5 November 2001.<ref name=UNESCO2001>{{cite web |title=Convention on the protection of the underwater cultural heritage |publisher=UNESCO |date=2 November 2001 |url=http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001260/126065e.pdf
{{
(a) the provision of professional archaeological services or necessary services incidental thereto whose nature and purpose are in full conformity with this Convention and are subject to the authorization of the competent authorities;|UNESCO [http://docs.law.gwu.edu/stdg/gwilr/PDFs/45-4/6-%20Coleman%20Note.pdf UNESCO and the Belitung Shipwreck]
{{#tag:ref|Although applicable to recent excavations, UNESCO's rules were ratified in 2001—two years after the shipwreck had been excavated.<ref name=UNESCO2001/>|group="nb"}}}}
==See also==
*[[ArtScience Museum]]▼
*[[Belitung]]▼
*[[Cirebon shipwreck]], also contains large cargo of Chinese wares
▲*[[ArtScience Museum]]
*[[Jewel of Muscat]]
▲*[[Belitung]]
==Notes==
{{
==References==
{{
==External links==
{{Commons category|Belitung shipwreck}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120317120443/http://www.jewelofmuscat.tv/files/images/_DSC5379Red_0.preview.jpg A photograph of the Jewel of Muscat, housed in the ArtScience Museum]
*[
*[http://www.seabedexplorations.com Seabed Explorations website]
*[
*[https://www.npr.org/2011/05/04/135956044/from-beneath-a-smithsonian-shipwreck-controversy From Beneath, A Smithsonian Shipwreck Controversy], NPR
*[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/the-
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean]]▼
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Indonesia]]▼
[[Category:Tang dynasty]]▼
[[Category:1998 archaeological discoveries]]▼
[[Category:830s]]
[[Category:9th-century artifacts]]
▲[[Category:1998 archaeological discoveries]]
▲[[Category:Tang dynasty]]
▲[[Category:Shipwrecks of Indonesia]]
▲[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean]]
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