How is the panorama of trade via the ancient Maritime Silk Road? Perhaps you can get a glimpse of this via the impressive exhibits on display at "Tang Shipwreck", a permanent exhibition at the newly revamped Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore.

 

In the new Khoo Teck Puat Gallery, visitors can find the famous "Tang Shipwreck" collection, a virtual time capsule of treasures mainly from the 9th-century China, hidden from the world till the sunk ship was discovered off Belitung Island in the Java Sea in 1998. The wrecked ship tells a story of the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture in the region around Singapore more than 1,100 years ago.

 

"This group of objects that we called the "Tang cargo" is historically very important, because it showcases or reveals the connections between the three major regions in the world at that point of time, it's the early story of globalization." said Kan Shuyi, curator of the museum.

 

Kan told Xinhua that the wrecked ship was likely made in the Persian Gulf. "From the way it was constructed that we know it comes from a ship-building tradition of the Indian Ocean." said the curator.

 

Bound for Iran and Iraq, the ship provides early proof for strong commercial links between China, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Based on archaeological studies, the story is likely that the ship had been on its way for trade and was getting supply and crew at which it unfortunately sank, not very far away from Singapore.

 

The ship contained a remarkable cargo of more than 60,000 ceramics made in various places of China during the Tang dynasty, as well as luxurious objects of gold and silver, bronze mirrors etc.

 

Kan believed that this is the most interesting part of the story. These objects not only showcase how brilliant or how entrepreneurial the people onboard the ship were, but also the appreciation of world's consumers at that time.

 

"This ship, I guess, brings us the story of globalization to very early date, and of course, it shows how important this region has been for the story of economic and cultural exchange," said Kan.

 

The exhibition unveils that the success of Singapore as an exchange point of global shipping has ancient roots. Thus it forms an important part of the collection of Asian Civilizations Museum in the city state. "Tang Shipwreck" was made possible by a generous donation from the Estate of Khoo Teck Puat in honor of the late Khoo Teck Puat.