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Maritime Silk Road Museum Guangdong

This green Lonquan celadon ware plate with a floral motif was found in the cargo.

This gold necklace was recovered soon after the 1987 discovery.

Chinese bronze coins from the Song dynasty were found among the cargo.

These bronze bracelets were recovered soon after the 1987 discovery.

Having just left port when it sank in the 1180s, the Nanhai No. 1 was carrying a huge cargo—as many as 80,000 items. Many were ceramics, from the most affordable to some of the most luxurious, including this black Jian ware bowl from the province of Fujian. Thousands of Song-era coins were also found in the cargo.

The box is raised by a semisubmersible boat.

The wreck site and surrounding sediment is secured.

Concrete blocks on top push the box down into the seafloor.

The steel cage is lowered around the wreck.

The wreck of the Nanhai No. 1 is illustrated on the seabed before salvage.