Singapore – Two shipwrecks dating back 600 years ago were excavated from Singapore waters, providing insights into the country’s maritime heritage.
The two shipwrecks were located near Pedra Branca, an island with rocky outcrop and shallow waters located 24 nautical miles east of Singapore.
Tonnes of artefacts containing Chinese ceramics, tiny glass beads, and even anchors up to five metres were discovered from the site.
The rare discovery is the first pre-dating World War I to be discovered in Singapore waters, and it will shed light on the country’s maritime history, said archaeologists.
It is reported that one of the wrecks contained Chinese ceramics dating possibly back to the 14th century, at a time when Singapore was known as Temasek.
The historical finding occurred by accident, which can be traced to Dec 30, 2014, when a Singapore-registered barge carrying two bulk loader cranes encountered inclement weather while en route to Kuantan. The barge then ran aground at Pedra Branca.
However, Pedra Branca’s famous Horsburgh Lighthouse, built in 1851, was at risk of being toppled over by the two cranes.
To ensure that the landmark would not be damaged, dynamite was attached to the cranes and activated as two boats pulled them away from the lighthouse.
According to Dr Michael Flecker, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute’s (ISEAS) archaeology unit, commercial divers were hired to clear the area of scraps or debris caused by the explosion.
In 2015, diver Ahmad Qamarulhazman stumbled upon a few old ceramic plates while retrieving the scraps. He informed his manager Ramdzan Salim about the discovery, and they returned to find more plates.
Following media coverage of the findings from a 10-week long archaeological dig being carried out at the same time in Empress Place, the divers realised that some of the plates they retrieved looked very similar to the artefacts from the dig.
They handed the plates to the institute, which were later confirmed to be high-quality celadon ceramics dating back to the 14th century.
Mr Ramdzan said on Jun 16 that he had acted on a hunch based on previous privately-funded expeditions he had joined, yielding significant findings.
He was asked if it occurred to him to sell the artefacts, but Mr Ramdzan noted the public education of Singapore’s history was the first thing on his mind; hence he thought it was the right decision to hand over their findings.
Dr Flecker, who is leading the excavations, lauded the two divers, saying they have set a good example for others.
The discovery further illustrates that Singapore has long functioned as a key trading hub on global shipping routes between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.
The National Heritage Board plans to exhibit the items in museums as early as the end of this year, with public talks being scheduled./TISG