Online exhibition showcases Shinan treasures from 700 years ago

So-called excavation of the “Shinanseon” ship wreckage started in 1975 when Chinaware were caught in fishnets by island fishermen in Shinan, South Jeolla Province. They discovered Shinanseon’ about 20 meters underwater in the following year, and salvaged about 27,000 pieces of earthenware and artifacts, as well as 28 tons of Chinese coins. Studies found that Shinanseon departed from China for Japan around 1323 before sinking in waters off Shinan islands. The discovery of the ancient ship heralded the start of underwater archeology in Korea.

Relics from Shinanseon have been on display at the Mokpo National Maritime Museum in South Jeolla Province, and people can now see the exhibits online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage under the Cultural Heritage Administration is having an online exhibition dubbed “Sinking of Shinan Treasure Ship 700 years ago” on Daum Gallery (gallery.v.daum.net/p/premium/Shinanshipwreck).

The online exhibition features the 30-meter-long treasure boat Shinanseon, more than 80 pieces of relics through high-resolution clips, and two videos including animation and documentary. The e-museum will be also open to the public through its website www.seamuse.go.kr from Tuesday.

“The exhibition will enable visitors to understand cultural exchange through maritime routes by people in East Asia during the Middle Ages, and discover that tea and scent, decorations and living culture hundreds of years ago are not significantly different from tastes and sense of beauty of people living in contemporary world,” said an official from the museum.


Min Kim kimmin@donga.com