Figure 76. 0 metre 1 Exist<strong>in</strong>g cross-section (below) show<strong>in</strong>g plank anomalies and <strong>the</strong>oretical reconstructed cross-section (above). Figure 77. Photograph <strong>of</strong> keel scarf at <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> excavation show<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> baosongkong. Figure 78. Plan <strong>of</strong> keel scarf jo<strong>in</strong>t. 35
Figure 79. The fore mast step at <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> excavation. Figure 80. The ma<strong>in</strong> mast step at time <strong>of</strong> excavation, note longitud<strong>in</strong>al braces. <strong>of</strong> this ancient and fairly massive hull.) The l<strong>in</strong>es have been redrawn with <strong>the</strong> misalignment corrected and some fair<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r irregularities. The keel The keel is constructed <strong>in</strong> three parts, <strong>the</strong> forward and aft portions are made <strong>of</strong> p<strong>in</strong>e, <strong>the</strong> central portion is made <strong>of</strong> camphor wood. The forward and aft keel portions are scarfed to <strong>the</strong> central portion. The central keel portion is 12.57 m long by 420 mm wide and 270 mm deep. The aft portion slopes upwards 27˚ and <strong>the</strong> garboard strake runs parallel to this aft extension <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> keel all <strong>the</strong> way aft to <strong>the</strong> transom. In <strong>the</strong> bow, <strong>the</strong> extension <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> keel slopes upwards 35˚. The forward extension, 4.5 m long could be regarded as a strongly raked stem s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> lower plank<strong>in</strong>g does not run parallel to it, but term<strong>in</strong>ates <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rabbet. There is reason to suspect that <strong>the</strong> extension was surmounted by a transom, so it is described here as a forward keel extension (if <strong>the</strong>re was a transom, <strong>the</strong>n whe<strong>the</strong>r it is correct to call this part a forward keel extension <strong>in</strong>stead <strong>of</strong> a stem is unclear and not readily answered by look<strong>in</strong>g at traditional Western usage). The mast steps The scarf jo<strong>in</strong>ts and good-luck baosongkong The forward and aft portions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> keel were scarfed to <strong>the</strong> central portion with a complex jo<strong>in</strong>t 340 mm long. In <strong>the</strong> vertical upper face <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> forward scarf, seven iron co<strong>in</strong>s with traces <strong>of</strong> leaf decoration were found recessed <strong>in</strong>to holes (25 mm diameter and 28 mm deep). In <strong>the</strong> lower forward face, recessed <strong>in</strong> a hole (110 mm diameter and 20 mm deep) a copper alloy mirror was found (102 mm diameter, 17 mm thick and weigh<strong>in</strong>g 79 grams). In <strong>the</strong> aft scarf <strong>the</strong>re were 13 copper co<strong>in</strong>s and a copper mirror (100 mm diameter 17 mm thick and weigh<strong>in</strong>g 31.5 grams). The co<strong>in</strong>s are known as Baosongkong or symbols for good-luck or longevity. In <strong>the</strong> forward scarf <strong>the</strong>y were set <strong>in</strong> such a way as to represent <strong>the</strong> constellation <strong>of</strong> Ursa Major, <strong>the</strong> mirror is thought to represent <strong>the</strong> Moon. It is not known what <strong>the</strong> 13 stars <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> stern section represent. It was reported that <strong>the</strong> square holes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> co<strong>in</strong>s was fill with an unidentified substance. 36 This could possibly be <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>of</strong> iron nails used to hold <strong>the</strong> co<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> place or ano<strong>the</strong>r substance, perhaps related to an unknown symbolic function (for example, <strong>in</strong> Indonesia rice or o<strong>the</strong>r food stuff is <strong>of</strong>ten put <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> keel scarf to ensure prosperity). The symbols have Daoist significance, br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g ei<strong>the</strong>r good luck and fair w<strong>in</strong>ds, or represent<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Seven Star Ocean where <strong>the</strong>re are many dangerous rocks, <strong>the</strong> mirror is <strong>the</strong>re to reflect light and ensure a safe journey. This tradition is apparently cont<strong>in</strong>ued today <strong>in</strong> traditional shipbuild<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>the</strong> stars represented by nails and <strong>the</strong> Moon by a silver co<strong>in</strong>. The scarf jo<strong>in</strong>t is shown <strong>in</strong> figure ?. There are knees re<strong>in</strong>forc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> short scarf jo<strong>in</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> extensions to <strong>the</strong> keel. These knees are fairly light, sawn from small pieces <strong>of</strong> timber and left half-round <strong>in</strong> section. They are fastened to <strong>the</strong> keel with a few nails which are driven through <strong>of</strong>f-centre. They would appear to have been used to position <strong>the</strong> keel extensions dur<strong>in</strong>g assembly ra<strong>the</strong>r than as an important part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ship’s ma<strong>in</strong> longitud<strong>in</strong>al structure. Plank Structure The hull is double planked up to <strong>the</strong> beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> turn <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bilge, where it becomes triple planked. The plank<strong>in</strong>g is made <strong>of</strong> cedar, constructed <strong>in</strong> a complex manner, <strong>in</strong> a mixture <strong>of</strong> carvel and cl<strong>in</strong>ker design. In order to describe this structure adequately, some liberties have been taken with conventional Western shipbuild<strong>in</strong>g terms. The terms that have been used relat<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> hull are def<strong>in</strong>ed here purely for <strong>the</strong> sake <strong>of</strong> convenience. Inner or <strong>in</strong>side refers to <strong>the</strong> surface or side fac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terior <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hull; conversely, outer or outside refers to <strong>the</strong> side fac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> water. Upper refers to <strong>the</strong> part (edge or strake) away from <strong>the</strong> keel, lower refers to <strong>the</strong> part towards <strong>the</strong> keel. Carvel seam: (as <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> conventional def<strong>in</strong>ition), <strong>the</strong> edge-toedge seam between two adjacent strakes is a flat seam made at right angles to <strong>the</strong> surface <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> strakes, and produc<strong>in</strong>g a smooth (carvel) surface on <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>side and outside <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hull. Rabbeted carvel seam: (unconventional def<strong>in</strong>ition), <strong>the</strong> edge-jo<strong>in</strong>t between two adjacent strakes is rabbeted along <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> seam by a type <strong>of</strong> step-jo<strong>in</strong>t. Cl<strong>in</strong>ker seam: (as <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> conventional def<strong>in</strong>ition), <strong>the</strong> strakes overlap one ano<strong>the</strong>r, so that (<strong>in</strong> this case) <strong>the</strong> upper strake