People in Hoi An go to see the ancient ship on the morning of November 9th - Photo: BD
The Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center is preparing a report to submit to higher-level management agencies.
Meanwhile, since the morning of November 9th, a large number of local residents have also flocked to the area where the ancient ship surfaced to observe its shape. Authorities have also erected signs prohibiting access.
Where did the ancient Hoi An ship come from?
According to research results reported by the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, the suspected ancient shipwreck dates back at least several centuries before 1905.
Ethnographic and archaeological fieldwork revealed the location of ancient boats (ships, barges) in Cam An sea (Cam An ward, former Hoi An city; now Hoi An Tay ward, Da Nang city), which was once a coastal sand dune. Next to the sand dune is a road built during the French colonial period.
Due to coastal erosion, only a short section of the road remains. In the area where the boat was discovered, the road has completely collapsed, leaving no trace.
Through maps, satellite imagery from various periods, and the memories of many local people, it is clear that the trend of increasing coastal erosion from the 20th century to the present day is evident.
Furthermore, it was confirmed that the ancient ship was not only buried deep beneath the sand dunes, but in 1905 it may have been about 700-800 meters from the water's edge.
A close-up view of a location on the ancient ship - Photo: BD
According to scientists , regardless of whether the ship that appeared a few days ago was sunk or abandoned, the time of its sinking or abandonment was most likely "at least several centuries before 1905".
Preliminary research also indicates that the wood used to build the Cam An boat comes from two sources: tropical wood such as Lagerstroemia (Lagerstroemia indica) and Terminalia catappa, and temperate wood such as pine. These are also the types of wood commonly found in traditional ship structures in the South China Sea.
Regarding some iron nails used on the ancient ship currently in the waters off Hoi An, preliminary research indicates that iron nails were commonly used on the Cam An boat, such as on the transverse walls, on the rafters, and possibly on the planks and beams.
The technique of fastening planks or bulkheads to the edges of boats by nailing them diagonally was first used by the Chinese in the 1st millennium AD to build river and coastal ships.
The ancient ship in Hoi An is a "hybrid ship".
According to scientists, preliminary findings suggest that the boat structures in Hoi An exhibit some characteristic features of traditional Southeast Asian shipbuilding.
Specifically: The bow section (the prow), the boat has multiple layers of planks (at least 2 layers), the planks enclose the bow section, tropical wood is used as the main structure of the hull and frame of the boat, such as Lagerstroemia wood for the rafters and Terminalia wood for the planks.
Besides, the boat also has some characteristic features of traditional Chinese boat construction such as: transverse bulkheads, deck planks, iron nails, the technique of nailing iron nails diagonally along the edges of the planks, and the use of pine wood for the transverse bulkheads and deck planks.
Some parts of the ship are made of pine wood - Photo: BD
These characteristics suggest that the Cam An boat is essentially a traditional East Sea vessel, also known as a tugboat.
Based on the research results, scientists have concluded that the Cam An boat is an important underwater cultural heritage in Hoi An, Quang Nam.
Therefore, an excavation project carried out by experts with interdisciplinary coordination is essential. This should be accompanied by plans and methods for managing, preserving, and effectively utilizing the vessel after excavation and research.
People in Hoi An flocked to see the ancient ship.
After Tuoi Tre Online published the article, public opinion was stirred and expressed the hope that measures would soon be taken to protect and excavate the ship. If it is indeed an ancient ship of value, it would truly be a "treasure," a resource for historical research and tourism activities.
According to Tuoi Tre Online, on the morning of November 9th, dozens of people gathered around the ship in the Cam An area to film and take pictures. Signs restricting contact were also erected to prevent damage to the ship's structure.
The load-bearing section surrounding the ship's hull - Photo: BD
Compared to the previous day, the shape of the ancient ship that surfaced on the morning of November 9th was somewhat less prominent - Photo: BD
People observe the ancient ship on the morning of November 9th - Photo: BD
A view of the old ship on November 9th - Photo: BD
The history and value of the ancient ship remain a mystery to this day - Photo: BD
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguoi-dan-keo-den-xem-tau-co-noi-len-o-bien-hoi-an-tu-sang-som-lai-lich-con-tau-ra-sao-20251109073518162.htm
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