Early Navigation in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Maritime Archaeological Perspective

This book presents the proceedings of the international academic workshop on “Early Navigation in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Maritime Archaeological Perspective” held from June 21-23, 2013 at Harvard University campus and organized by Harvard-Yenching Institute. It includes high-quality papers focusing on the historical shipwrecks investigated by underwater archaeologists from Eastern Asian, including southern China, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, and North America, including California, Oregon and Washington in the US, as well as Mexico. These investigations reveal the history of the early pan-Pacific navigation and maritime globalization from the 16th to the 18th century, covering the background and formation, concept and practice, as well as the results and influence of this early globalization and global economy, emphasizing the maritime archaeological evidence of Spanish exploration of transportation between East Asia and North America. The book provides an excellent opportunity for maritime archaeologists from both sides of the Pacific to share the latest findings and new developments in maritime archaeological exploration. It discusses 16-18th century nautical trade and maritime cultural history and provides a comprehensive overview of research work in the Asia-Pacific region.

Table of Contents:
1. A Summary Study on Shipwrecks of the Pre-contact Period and the Development of Regional Maritime Trade Network in East Asia.- 2. Of Ships and Shipping: The Maritime Archaeology of 15th Century Southeast Asia.- 3. Cinnamon, Ceramics, and Silks: Tracking the Manila Galleon Trade in the Creation of the World Economy.- 4. From Magellan to Urdaneta: the early Spanish exploration of the Pacific and the Establishment of the Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade.- 5. The Archaeology of San Diego Shipwreck in Philippine and Related Manila Galleon Maritime Trade History.- 6. The Manila Galleons of the 16th Century: a Nautical Perspective.- 7. Sixteenth-Century Manila Galleon Cargos on the American West Coast and A Kraak Plate Chronology.- 8. The Beeswax Wreck, A Manila Galleon in Oregon, USA.- 9. Analysis of the Beeswax Shipwreck Porcelain Collection, Oregon, USA..- 10. A Study on Exported Chinese Ceramics from Shipwrecks of 16-17th Centuries in South China and Southeast Asia.- 11. Consumption of Chinese and European Ceramics at the Sultanate of Banten, Java, Indonesia from the Seventeenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries: Material Culture of Early Colonialism.- 12. The Investigation and Excavation of Xiaobaijiao No.Ⅰ Shipwreck Site in Ningbo, Eastern Sea of China.- 13. Portuguese and Spanish in Southeast China during 16th-17th Century: A Perspective of Maritime Ethno-archaeology.

About the Author :
Chunming Wu, B.A. and M.A. of Archaeology and PhD. of Chinese History in Xiamen University, professor and director of Center for Maritime Archaeology of Xiamen University. Dr. Wu was a visiting scholarship of American Council of Learned Society & Luce Foundation at Anthropology Department of University of Hawaii at Manoa, and visiting scholarship of Harvard Yenching Institute, Harvard University. He works on China maritime archaeology, prehistoric archaeology and early aboriginal ethno- history of southeast China and southeast Asia. He published more than 10 books as Archaeological Research to the History and Cultures of Prehistoric Aboriginals in Southeast China (1999), Archaeological Research toCapitalof Min-YueKingdomof Han Dynasty(1998), The Shipwreck Archaeology in Seas Surrounding China (2003), Maritime Archaeology (2007), The Maritime Cultural Interaction between Indigenous Yue and Austronesian (2012) and more than 150 academic papers.

Review :
“This volume collects 13 essays from a 2013 conference, all centered on the results of underwater archaeology around the Pacific Rim. … The great strength of the volume lies in presenting together in English some of the most advanced research being done across the world … . Summing Up: Recommended. Faculty and specialists only.” (B. T. Vivier, Choice, Vol. 55 (2), October, 2017)