Archaeologists Unearth a 16th-Century Imperial Cargo 1,500 Meters Deep, Loaded With Enigmatic Treasures

Archaeologists Unearth a 16th-Century Imperial Cargo 1,500 Meters Deep, Loaded With Enigmatic Treasures

At a depth of 1,500 meters off the southern coast of Hainan, two centuries-old shipwrecks have revealed an unexpected trove. Discovered on the seabed in late 2022, the vessels were located just 14 kilometers apart, their cargoes preserved in near-total darkness and pressure for over five centuries. Chinese archaeologists have since completed a multi-year recovery effort, retrieving hundreds of artifacts from these Ming-era wrecks. The excavation…