十五世纪中期菲律宾潘达南岛沉船的水下考古

Underwater Archaeology of a Shipwreck in the Mid-15th Century in Pandanan Island

菲律宾是东南亚具有重要战略位置的岛屿国家。它是一个群岛,在这里浩瀚的太平洋与南海交汇。菲律宾群岛位于热带,常遭遇强烈的风暴和台风。据说菲律宾是由斐迪南·麦哲伦于1521年3月16日“发现”的,其后以西班牙国王菲利浦二世的名字命名。从那以后,菲律宾成为早期欧洲海上探险者和殖民者经常到访的东南亚国家之一。事实上,早在9世纪,亦即在这个国家被麦哲伦“发现”的很久以前,菲律宾与东南亚邻国及中国、日本、印度及阿拉伯国家之间已经存在贸易和文化联系。东南亚水手和贸易商(诸如泰国人、越南人、马来亚人、印度尼西亚人、柬埔寨人)以及中国南方人已经对菲律宾群岛有所了解。中国商人到达印度洋,当然也到达南海和太平洋。由于中国的货物如瓷器、丝绸和铁器在世界许多地区都很受欢迎,因此人们普遍认为这些物资是由中国帆船带去的。通过菲律宾发现的考古资料,人们可以了解到菲律宾群岛与东南亚其他地区(以及中国)之间的文化、贸易联系。

On the basis of porcelain recovered from various archaeological sites,both land and underwater in the Philippines,we know that there were Southeast Asian and Chinese vessels charting new routes for trade and commerce that had ventured into the islands of Southeast Asia including what is now known as the Philippine archipelago.Some of these ships were successful,braving the forces of nature,discovering new lands and establishing new contacts.However some were not so lucky and they surrendered to storms and typhoons.In 1993,one of these ships was found at the bottom of the tranquil waters off Pandanan Island,in between the southernmost tip of the main island of Palawan.Initial investigation of the reported site by National Museum underwater archaeologists in June 1993 revealed that a shipwreck located at 250 meters from the shore on the northwestern section of Pandanan Island and lay at the depth of 40 meters.Samples of the ceramic tradeware collected were identified to date to the Late Yuan to Early Ming Dynasties wares(13th-14th centuries A.D.).Its cargo was relatively intact including some parts of the wooden vessel where reconstruction was possible.After more than a year of preparation,on the 17th of February 1995,a joint team of Ecofarm divers and National Museum divers/researchers were dispatched to Pandanan to start the underwater archaeological work.This consisted of basic but important recording of the archaeological materials for appropriate interpretations of the finds,based on their absolute and relative positions at the time that the vessel sank.Divers from France were also involved in the underwater archaeological work.Underwater archaeological work from 18 February to 17 May 1995 totaled to about 380 man-hours(excluding decompression time or a total of 1044 hours underwater and 947 divers)that resulted to the recovery of more than 4700 pieces artifacts dating to the Early Ming period(14th century A.D.)to the mid-15th century A.D..Most of the artifacts were from Vietnam,Thailand and China.A Chinese copper coin belonging to the Yong-le period(1403-1424)provides a relative dating for this vessel.On the basis of the boat-building technology that is evident on the remains of the timber,the vessel may have been a Southeast Asian in origin as opposed to the Chinese boat building technology.The discovery of the Pandanan wreck is a concrete reaffirmation that before the coming of the Europeans to Southeast Asia,an extensive trade network had already existed among the people in the region.That one trading vessel carried such a diversity of ceramics and other items from China,Vietnam and Thailand clearly demonstrates the complexity of the ancient maritime trade between the Philppines and her Southeast Asian neighbors as well as with Japan,India and the Arab nations.