1700s merchant ship with rare Chinese porcelain found off Norwegian coast

A remarkably intact 18th-century shipwreck carrying what archaeologists describe as a “historic cargo” of Chinese porcelain and other goods has been discovered 600 meters deep in the Skagerrak off Norway’s coast, Norway’s Directorate for Cultural Heritage and the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History announced Monday.

The find, dubbed the “Porcelain Wreck”, is being called the best-preserved discovery of its kind in Northern Europe. Among the recovered artifacts are “exceptionally well-preserved porcelain,” chandeliers, drinking glasses, textiles, grain, and crates believed to contain tea, herbs, and medicines.

Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen stated the discovery holds “major scientific value” and demonstrates advances in underwater archaeology, offering new insights into Nordic and North European maritime history. The wreck is automatically protected under Norway’s Cultural Heritage Act.

Espen Saastad, owner of a small ROV survey firm and Saastad Watches in Porsgrunn, located the vessel. Director-General of Cultural Heritage Hanna Geiran called the scale of the find “almost unbelievable,” adding, “I had to rub my eyes when I realized what we were seeing.”

The ship is believed to have sunk around the mid-1700s.