The Wando Shipwreck
This shipwreck was discovered in 1984, near Wando-gun, Jeollabuk-do in South Korea. The shipwreck is the first local Korean vessel to be fully excavated under water. Almost 30,000 artefacts have been recovered, mainly typical celadon porcelain. Based on these findings, the vessel may date to the late 11th century and subsequently, may represent the local Korean watercraft of the Goryeo Dynasty. This period was the golden age in the history of Korean seafaring and vessel development.
The Wando shipwreck is one of the best preserved vessels ever excavated, especially the mid-ship section of the hull. Since its construction technique can be compared with traditional boats, one can conclude that the discovering of the Wando shipwreck marked the beginning of underwater archeology in Korea. The surviving hull is 6.5 meters in length and 1.65 meters wide at the bottom of the hull. Researchers estimate that the original hull was 9 meters long and 3.5 meter in wide. Since the type of timber used for the hull is only grown in Korea, the vessel was most likely manufactured in southern Korea. Korean vessels were different from those used by the Japanese or Chinese. Specifically, one characteristic typical of Korean shipbuilding was the use of heavy timbers and beams to construct the hull. Additionally, bulkheads, which are typical of Chinese vessels, were not used, and iron nails were not used to secure the timbers.
