900-Year-Old Ship, Found In Rice Field, Draws Experts To India

Times Leader ^ | 10-23-2003 | V.M. Thomas

[blam]

900-year-old ship, found in rice field, draws experts to India

V.M. THOMAS
Associated Press
Posted on Thu, Oct. 23, 2003

COCHIN, India - A sailing vessel that experts believe sank off the coast of southern India 900 years ago has been found buried in a rice field and is attracting the attention of international marine, archaeology and conservation experts.

The ship is made of local Indian wood but the craftsmanship is not, leading experts to suggest it was made by ancient Chinese, Japanese, Egyptians or Arabs.

The government of southern Kerala state finished excavating the 22-meter long, 5-meter wide (72-foot long, 16-foot wide) ship in June, after it was found in a rice field in Thaikal, a coastal village some 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Cochin, the state's commercial hub.

After centuries of land buildup, the ship was 50 meters (160 feet) deep in the inland field when workers tilling the field two years ago noticed its wooden planks protruding.

"Parts of the vessel that we have excavated are sure to throw up lots of light into the maritime activities in India centuries back. We are now going to organize an international conference of maritime and archaeological experts to unravel the mystery of the ship," P.K. Gopi, head of the Center for Heritage Studies, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The center conducted the excavation and will host the convention in January.

The base of the ship is intact, Gopi said. "We have also unearthed many wooden portions, seven small wooden shelves, different types of shells, pieces of ropes and bamboo from the vessel."

After carbon-dating tests on the ship's wood, a local variety called Anjili, Gopi said, "We believe the ship to be approximately 920 years old."

"But the techniques used in making this vessel are definitely not Indian."

He said he believed the builders were from China, Japan, Egypt or an Arab country.

"In the 12th century, lots of people from these countries used to come to the Kerala coast for trading," Gopi said.

Experts from Texas A&M University and Southampton University in Britain have visited the ship.

[blam]

This ship is about the same size as the Nina and Pinta, the main ship in Columbus' expedition to America was the Santa Maria at about 98 feet long.

I wonder where this ship, with sails, may have gone?

[blam]

Ping.

[farmfriend]

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[TopQuark]

ship, found in rice field,

Noah, is that you?

[snopercod]

How do they know it's 900 years old, and how do they know that it's a certain ship?

[Old Sarge]

Was Helen Thomas on the passenger manifest?

[Zeppo]

I hereby nominate your post for "post of the year"... ROTFLMAO

[blam]

"How do they know it's 900 years old?"

"After carbon-dating tests on the ship's wood, a local variety called Anjili, Gopi said, "We believe the ship to be approximately 920 years old."

[Lokibob]

"After centuries of land buildup, the ship was 50 meters (160 feet) deep in the inland field when workers tilling the field two years ago noticed its wooden planks protruding."

How deep do they plant rice in India????

[Old Sarge]

I humbly accept. Whom do we notify? If I ever see a "Post Of.." I'd like to submit it...

[Leisler]

No wonder it sank.

[Cool Guy]

Thanks for the ping. Cochin, was the first place Islam was practiced in the Indian sub-continent.The traders from Arabia brought the religion with them. 11 or 122 years ago, the king of that province converted along with his subjects to Islam. The people in that parts of the sub-continent, traded extensively with the other civilizations around the world. I am not surprised with this discovery.

[concerned about politics]

Noah, is that you?

Darn. LOL.

[RightWhale]

I wonder where this ship, with sails, may have gone?

It would have been part of the extensive trading network of the richest civilization of the time, Islamic. It would have gone to the Persian Gulf and then the goods would have gone to Baghdad. Farther destinations are possible, but that would be the main ship trade.

[Normal4me]

A better qurstion is, how do sail a 72' long ship IN a rice field?!?

[AntiGuv]

I wonder where this ship, with sails, may have gone?

Almost certainly the Persian Gulf, with a lower possibility of the Red Sea, the Khmer Empire, Guangdong China, Japan, and the Swahili Coast - in that order.

Guess that doesn't narrow things down much..

[Semper911]

After carbon-dating tests on the ship's wood, a local variety called Anjili, Gopi said, "We believe the ship to be approximately 920 years old."

Carbon dating would tell them the age of the wood, but the trees could have been living for a hundred or more years before the ship was built.

[blam]

[ElkGroveDan]

Carbon dating would tell them the age of the wood, but the trees could have been living for a hundred or more years before the ship was built.

ACtually carbon dating tells you when the wood (or other lving thing) died, i.e when it quit ingesting fresh Carbon 14 from the atmosphere.

[Semper911]

Oh.