No. 237 Maritime Archaeology in the People's Republic of China ...
No. 237 Maritime Archaeology in the People's Republic of China ...
No. 237 Maritime Archaeology in the People's Republic of China ...
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fastened to both <strong>the</strong> bulkheads and <strong>the</strong> frames. On <strong>the</strong> very<br />
limited evidence where fasten<strong>in</strong>g holes and adjacent bracket<br />
holes are exposed, it seems that <strong>the</strong> planks were nailed to <strong>the</strong><br />
frames ra<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong> bulkheads, although this pr<strong>in</strong>ciple has<br />
not been followed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> reassembly, probably because <strong>the</strong><br />
frames are far more degraded than o<strong>the</strong>r parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hull.<br />
The frames are nailed to <strong>the</strong> bulkheads. It seems that <strong>the</strong><br />
frames were fitted to prevent any fore and aft movement <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> bulkheads which might loosen <strong>the</strong> brackets that secure <strong>the</strong><br />
bulkheads to <strong>the</strong> plank shell.<br />
The stern transom<br />
The stern transom appears to be composed <strong>of</strong> baulks <strong>of</strong> timber<br />
<strong>in</strong> three layers plus a layer <strong>of</strong> th<strong>in</strong> sheath<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>the</strong> outside.<br />
The timber is fairly degraded and it may be that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ner<br />
layer has split neatly <strong>in</strong> two, <strong>in</strong> which case <strong>the</strong>re are only two<br />
layers plus <strong>the</strong> sheath<strong>in</strong>g. The <strong>in</strong>ner layer(s) are fitted <strong>in</strong>side<br />
<strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> plank<strong>in</strong>g; presumably <strong>the</strong> ends <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> strakes are<br />
fastened to this <strong>in</strong>ner transom. The outer layer is aft <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> plank<strong>in</strong>g but <strong>in</strong>side <strong>the</strong> outer plank<strong>in</strong>g layer.<br />
The outer plank<strong>in</strong>g layer is extended aft <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transom to<br />
form a k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> false counter. The outer layer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transom<br />
has a slot cut <strong>in</strong> it for <strong>the</strong> rudder stock and is made <strong>of</strong> baulks<br />
<strong>of</strong> timber only slightly thicker than <strong>the</strong> diameter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rudder<br />
slot, thus <strong>the</strong> slot almost cuts <strong>the</strong>m <strong>in</strong> half and <strong>the</strong> strength<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transom relies on <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ner layer(s). The uppermost <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> extant outer transom baulks appears to have its ends cut<br />
square, so it did not extend right out to <strong>the</strong> sheath<strong>in</strong>g plank<strong>in</strong>g<br />
at its upper face. This suggests that <strong>the</strong> outer transom did not<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>ue above this height though <strong>the</strong>re would need to have<br />
been baulks form<strong>in</strong>g brackets to hold <strong>the</strong> rudder stock higher<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> transom, as <strong>the</strong>re are on traditional vessels <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> region<br />
today (fig).<br />
Lime putty, wash or plaster<br />
Everywhere on <strong>the</strong> hull, <strong>in</strong>side and out, <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>s<br />
<strong>of</strong> a layer <strong>of</strong> lime. The use <strong>of</strong> this lime is discussed <strong>in</strong> some<br />
detail by Li Guo-Q<strong>in</strong>g (1989). It is <strong>in</strong> all <strong>the</strong> seams, beh<strong>in</strong>d <strong>the</strong><br />
brackets, between <strong>the</strong> layers <strong>of</strong> plank<strong>in</strong>g, and it plugs <strong>the</strong> tops<br />
<strong>of</strong> holes for fasten<strong>in</strong>gs. It is only <strong>the</strong> lime plugs that show <strong>the</strong><br />
position <strong>of</strong> nails used to fasten timbers such as <strong>the</strong> half frames<br />
and <strong>the</strong> knees at <strong>the</strong> scarfs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> keel; and it is possible to trace<br />
<strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al outl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> degraded half frames because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
thick l<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> lime that collected between <strong>the</strong> upper face <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
frame and <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bulkhead. Probably <strong>the</strong> lime <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
seams and <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> fasten<strong>in</strong>g holes, and perhaps that between <strong>the</strong><br />
layers <strong>of</strong> plank<strong>in</strong>g, was applied as a lime putty, as it is today<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> traditional boat and shipbuild<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> region. The oil<br />
used to make <strong>the</strong> putty is tung (t’ung) oil extracted from <strong>the</strong><br />
nut <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> t’ung oil tree (Aleurites fordii [Li Guo-Q<strong>in</strong>g 1989:<br />
279]) In <strong>the</strong> Song Dynasty, Quanzhou was known as Ci Tong<br />
or ‘Tung Harbour’ because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> many tung oil trees <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
region (Pers, com. Wu Chunm<strong>in</strong>g).<br />
Li Guo-Q<strong>in</strong>g (1989) analysed <strong>the</strong> lime putty from <strong>the</strong> seams<br />
and found that it conta<strong>in</strong>ed very f<strong>in</strong>e jute fibres (Corchorus<br />
capsularis) evenly dispersed throughout <strong>the</strong> putty <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that <strong>the</strong> jute and putty had been thoroughly pounded toge<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
Under this pay<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> putty he found that <strong>the</strong> seams had been<br />
caulked with ramie (Boehmeria nivea). Putty without addition<br />
46<br />
Figure 95.<br />
View <strong>of</strong> stern <strong>of</strong> vessel show<strong>in</strong>g axial rudder slot.<br />
<strong>of</strong> fibre was used to fill and coat <strong>the</strong> surface <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> plank<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
This is somewhat different from <strong>the</strong> caulk<strong>in</strong>g and pay<strong>in</strong>g now<br />
used <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region. Today tung oil and lime putty is pounded<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r with f<strong>in</strong>e bamboo shav<strong>in</strong>gs and this is hammered <strong>in</strong>to<br />
<strong>the</strong> seams as caulk<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
A small sample <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> lime from <strong>the</strong> external layer has<br />
been analysed for organic rema<strong>in</strong>s by Dr Ian Godfrey (Western<br />
Australian Museums, Conservation Department); <strong>the</strong> lipid<br />
content was so low (0.00113 mg per gram) as to suggest that<br />
<strong>the</strong> lime may have been applied as an aqueous slurry ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />
an oil based putty. (A very f<strong>in</strong>e lime slurry is sometimes used<br />
to seal woven basket boats <strong>in</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn Vietnam, Burn<strong>in</strong>gham<br />
1994.)<br />
Song Dynasty Salvage?<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> brackets <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> uppermost rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g plank<strong>in</strong>g seem<br />
to have been removed by roughly chisell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>m out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
hull plank<strong>in</strong>g. There is a hole <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> plank<strong>in</strong>g, hacked out<br />
with an axe or similar implement, <strong>in</strong> strakes 11 and 12, between<br />
bulkheads 2 and 3 on <strong>the</strong> port side. It might be that <strong>the</strong> upper<br />
hull was deliberately removed <strong>in</strong> a partial salvage operation.<br />
This idea is re<strong>in</strong>forced by <strong>the</strong> excellent condition <strong>of</strong> nearly<br />
all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> surviv<strong>in</strong>g plank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hull and <strong>the</strong> bulkheads:<br />
if <strong>the</strong> upperworks had been lost by natural degradation while<br />
<strong>the</strong> lower hull was preserved <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> virtually anaerobic silt,<br />
<strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>s could be expected to show a gradual transition<br />
from good preservation below <strong>the</strong> mud through degrees <strong>of</strong><br />
degradation to complete absence, but <strong>the</strong> uppermost planks<br />
are <strong>in</strong> excellent condition. Generally wooden shipwrecks once<br />
buried are preserved, it is surpris<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong> cut <strong>of</strong>f between<br />
aerobic and anaerobic is so sharp and generally only just below<br />
surface <strong>in</strong> this case. Possibly <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g portion was already<br />
largely buried <strong>in</strong> mud when <strong>the</strong> upper works were removed.<br />
The lowest planks on <strong>the</strong> hull are actually more degraded<br />
than <strong>the</strong> uppermost rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g planks: presumably this reflects<br />
degradation dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> vessels work<strong>in</strong>g life with water ly<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> bilge and <strong>the</strong> lower plank<strong>in</strong>g rarely, if ever, properly<br />
dried and coated with lime anti-foul<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
A Reconstruction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Orig<strong>in</strong>al L<strong>in</strong>es and Appearance <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Quanzhou Ship<br />
The extraord<strong>in</strong>ary beam to length ratio <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
ship present a problem for any attempt at reconstruction. To