Marine archaeologists have discovered a remarkably well-preserved 14th-century merchant ship in the anoxic waters off the coast of Kozhikode, India. The vessel, which appears to be a hybrid construction of Arab and Malabar traditions, was found carrying a rare cargo of high-value rosewood logs and refined copper alloys destined for the international spice routes of the medieval Indian Ocean.
Initial dives have recovered several bronze measuring weights and ceramic storage jars with Arabic inscriptions, suggesting the vessel was part of the flourishing trade network under the Zamorins of Calicut. The discovery provides the first physical evidence of specific timber export logistics that fueled the maritime economy of the Malabar coast during the late medieval period.