Abstract
The Sinan shipwreck, discovered in the waters of Sinan gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea, sank in June 1323 CE, and the arrangement and packaging of its cargo provides valuable information for understanding the details of its trading activities. This paper studies the arrangement, distribution, and proportions of the discovered cargo in different zones of the ship, and analyzes its contents through observing the ways wooden containers were used. By comparing the findings with other eleventh–fourteenth-century shipwrecks in East Asian waters, the study finds that in the Sinan shipwreck, separate wooden containers were used to pack some tea-set- and altar-set-like wares suitable for the needs of the Japanese market. It is clear that the owner of the Sinan shipwreck purchased these items specifically for the needs of Japanese consumers and packed them specially in wooden cases. The Sinan shipwreck is the only existing example of a shipwreck in Asian waters from Japan’s Classical (medieval) era that provides clear evidence of having been engaged in a trade mission to serve specific customers.
Published Version
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