Underwater archaeologists have located a 15th-century Ming Dynasty merchant vessel in the deep waters off the coast of Palawan, Philippines. The wreck, remarkably preserved in an anoxic environment, has yielded a massive cargo of blue-and-white porcelain, celadon ware, and traces of Southeast Asian spices like cloves and nutmeg.
This discovery confirms the intensive maritime trade routes connecting the Ming Empire with the Philippine archipelagos during the early 1400s. Preliminary analysis suggests the ship was part of a private trading fleet that bypassed official imperial restrictions to engage in the lucrative spice trade.