THE TREASURE OF THE SUNKEN JUNK - Secrets of Asian Trade in the 15th Century | ARCHAEOLOGY DOC
#documentary #archaeology #Asia
Off the coast of Brunei, 60 meters below the surface, an extraordinary archaeological discovery reshapes our understanding of Southeast Asian history.
In the spring of 1997, a deep sea excavation led by Michel L’Hour uncovered a large 15th century Chinese junk, sunk during the reign of Sultan Bolkiah.
Inside the wreck, archaeologists found a unique treasure: 15 000 artefacts from China, Thailand, and Vietnam — evidence of a thriving and poorly documented maritime trade in the South China Sea.
Destined for the popular markets of Borneo, this cargo sheds new light on the cultural and economic exchanges of medieval Asia.
The Treasure of the Sunken Junk offers a rare journey into an exceptional underwater excavation and reveals the forgotten trade networks that linked Asia in the 1400s.
A film by Marc Jampolsky
Coproduction: GEDEON Programmes, ARTE, NOVA, RTBF, ELF, CNRS Images
Duration, 52 minutes - 1999
#documentary #archaeology #shipwreck #asia #history #trade #underwaterarchaeology #GEDEONARCHEO
Video Summary
AI GeneratedAn international archaeological team led by Michel Lourre recovered a 500-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Borneo. The excavation yielded over 15,000 artifacts, including Chinese porcelain and Southeast Asian stoneware. This discovery provides critical evidence of the sophisticated maritime trade networks and the immense wealth of the Sultanate of Brunei during the 15th and 16th centuries.