These impressive ceramics were recovered from the Hoi An Shipwreck, which sank in the open seas off Cu Lao Cham Island in the late 15th – early 16th century. There is uncertainty as to who first discovered the ceramics but it has been agreed that a boat from Hoi An or one of its adjacent fishing communities located the first pieces in their fishing nets in the early 1990s. The Vietnamese government realised the importance of this discovery and proceeded to excavate the cargo from the sunken ship. Roughly 250,000 pots were recovered, 10% of the findings were displayed in Vietnam’s museums while 90% were sold at auctions. The ceramics were originally manufactured near Chu Dou, 3.7 miles from Hai Dong, this was where the largest ceramic production took place in medieval Vietnam. The pieces ranged from simple everyday vessels to exquisitely detailed items. Ceramics from the Hoi An Hoard are nowadays regarded as the most precious and complete representations of Vietnamese artisanship in glazed ceramics.
To discover more about the Hoi An Shipwreck, please read our relevant blog Hoi An Shipwreck Pottery
