Underwater excavation in Yellow Sea starts

Goryeo celadon under the sea at time of discovery

 

On April 9, the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of Cultural Heritage Administration will carry out the underwater excavation at waters off Seonyudo Island.

This project will be conducted until October 27 in order to pinpoint the locations of shipwrecks and concentration of artifacts. The area that has high possibility of concentration of artifacts but is restricted to be excavated because of being located on the route of cruise ships, especially, will be focused. 

 

undersea stones believed to be whetstones

Roughly five-hundred artifacts from the Goryeo period to modern times were recovered in previous survey at waters off Seonyudo Island in 2021 and 2022. While most of them were scattered, bundles of celadons which were loaded for cargo, oars, anchors, and anchor stones used for old vessels were also found. The NRIMCH suggests a variety of artifacts related to the vessels indicate existences of shipwrecks at surveyed area.

 

Excavation

The targeted area near Seonyudo Island, Gunsan, included various historical places, such as Gunsanjin used for naval camp, and Gunsanjeong for envoys’ accommodation. It was the route of various vessels as well as the base of coast of Yellow Sea as a stopover of international sea route.

The NRIMCH expects this project discovers historic values of Seonyudo Island and contributes local tourism. In addition, it will do its best to conserve and protect maritime cultural heritage which is buried under the waters off Korea with consistent survey and research.

 

point of inquiry

 

국립해양문화재연구소(소장 김성배)가 오는 10월 27일까지 군산 선유도 해역에서 고선박과 유물집중매장처를 찾기 위한 수중발굴조사를 시작했다.

이번 발굴조사 해역은 고선박을 비롯한 유물 매장 가능성이 크지만 유람선 항로에 위치해 조사하지 못했던 구간이다. 조사가 이루어지는 군산 선유도 일원은 역사적으로 조운선들의 정박지, 수군 진영인 군산진과 사신이 묵었던 객관(客館)인 군산정(群山亭)이 있었던 곳으로, 과거부터 많은 선박이 다녔던 길목이며, 국제무역 항로의 기착지로 서해 연안 항로의 거점 역할을 했던 해역이기도 하다.

 

earthenware recovered from the sea