via Journal of Maritime Archaeology, 04 June 2021: A new paper by Sukkham at al. on ceramics from Southeast Asian shipwrecks over the last 200 years.
Previous research suggests that the peak of Chinese and Southeast Asian ceramic trade in Southeast Asia occurred after the late fourteenth century and possibly ended in the first half of the eighteenth century. This has led to a lack of understanding about what occurred with this trade after the early eighteenth century. This article identifies six shipwrecks from the region with ceramic assemblages dated from the last half of eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries: Samed Ngam, Diana, Tek Sing, Desaru, Francis-Garnier (Man Nok or Ruea Mail) and Tha Krai. By analysing the origins, typologies, dates, functions and selections of these ships’ ceramics, it is clear that the Chinese-made armorial, Chinese-made Bencharong and European ceramics offer diagnostic evidence of post-peak ceramic trading patterns. These ceramics were products for sale, remains of earlier ceramic shipments or utensils for on-board living. This body of evidence is comparable with that of terrestrial archaeological sites that suggest other cultural influences among the more recent maritime ceramic trade in Southeast Asia.
