By Cathy Rose Garcia
Staff Reporter
More than 2,000 pieces of high-quality green porcelain was found in a 12th century shipwreck in South Chungcheong Province.
According to the National Maritime Museum, the wooden ship carrying thousands of porcelain pieces was discovered underwater in Taean county, South Chungcheong Province. The museum said that the wooden ship could date back to the latter years of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) at the peak of the porcelain industry.
Archaeologists discovered the shipwreck as they searched the area after receiving reports of a fisherman who found porcelain pieces in his net. The ship appeared to have been bound for the kingdom's capital Gaegyeong before it was shipwrecked.
``The Goryeo porcelain has very high quality in various frames, surface patterns, glaze, clay and burning techniques. So the porcelain is believed to be a favorite of the royal family and the ruling class in Gaegyeong after being produced in Gangjin in Jeolla Province,'' Seong Nack-jun, head of the museum, said.
Gaegyeong is now known as Kaesong, a North Korean town near the border of South Korea.
Archaeologists said they found 2,000 celadon pieces inside the shipwreck, as well as 542 pieces found in the surrounding area. Most of the pieces are pale blue-green colored bowls and saucers.
Royal archives of the Goryeo Kingdom had recorded many shipwrecks in the waters near Taean County because of the strong currents.