China News Service, Hangzhou, August 15th. Title: Underwater Archaeology "Ningbo Force": Repairing an Ancient Shipwreck in Ten Years
Author: Tong Xiaoyu
What can be done in ten years? At the Ningbo Base of China's National Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection, Wang Guangyuan's underwater archaeological team is willing to spend ten years to repair a shipwreck in the Qing Dynasty.
Wang Guangyuan has 13 years of underwater archaeological experience and is one of the few underwater archaeological divemasters in China. The "Ningbo Base" where he is located is known as the "Ningbo Power of Underwater Archaeology" because he has hosted and participated in most of China's major underwater archaeological projects in the past 10 years.
Each board has a number. Photo by Tong Xiaoyu
In the hot midsummer, when I walked into the base workshop, a chill came to my face. "Because of the protection of cultural relics, the humidity here is 100%." Following the eyes of Jin Tao, the person in charge of the Underwater Heritage Center, there is a special-shaped soaking pool full of water. White Reef I". They "lay" in the pool for nearly six years, and there are still nearly five years before the hull restoration is completed.
An ancient ship after restoration. Photo by Tong Xiaoyu
"Xiaobaijiao I" is an ocean-going wooden merchant ship that sank during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. It was named after it was located 24 meters below the shore of Xiaobai Reef in the sea area of Shipu Yushan, Xiangshan, Ningbo. In 2011, "Xiaobaijiao I" became the first underwater archaeological excavation project officially approved in Zhejiang.
Wang Guangyuan still remembers the scene when he went to the sea to arrange the cultural relics of "Xiaobai Jiao I". He said that during that period, it was working hours from 8 am to 18:00. Archaeological team members went into the water twice a day, each carrying a double bottle of equipment weighing about 40 kg, and working in 24 meters of sea water. Work underwater for 1 hour each time.
The wooden boat, which has lasted for a hundred years, was broken into two halves when it was discovered. Visibility after going to sea that day was basically zero. In this situation, what Wang Guangyuan could do was to fumble inch by inch through his gloves.
The restoration model of the scene when "Xiaobaijiao I" was discovered. The hull has been broken into two halves of the east and west, showing a state of spread. Photo by Tong Xiaoyu
Thanks to the meticulousness of a corner, he touched a square object, recorded the position based on the search rope and the compass, and extracted it out of water. It was discovered after the water came out that it was a neatly shaped tin box with a jade seal indicating the trade name and the words "Yuanheshengji" engraved on it. It was the discovery of this seal that provided evidence for the previous judgment that "this is a merchant ship".
Before the excavation of the "Xiaobai Jiao I" hull, the National Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection Ningbo Base will work with relevant agencies to formulate a series of plans for the protection and restoration of "Xiaobai Jiao I", such as desalination, desulfurization, dehydration, filling and reinforcement , Drying and finalizing, restoration research, installation restoration, etc. At the same time, the concept of restoration while protecting and displaying is put forward.
"The early protection of shipwrecks was limited by the level of technological development and did not pay attention to the problem of pyrite residues. The'Xiaobaijiao I'draws on the experience and lessons of shipwreck protection at home and abroad, and handles it with current feasible technologies." Jin Tao Said that the "Xiaobaijiao I" protection and restoration project is expected to last 10 years.
When repairing, first add a complexing reagent and add pure water to soak to remove the iron sulfide compound and soak out the soluble salt. After the iron sulfide compound is processed, it is soaked in pure water to remove the residual complexing reagent and salt. Then carry out dehydration, filling and reinforcement, drying and shaping, restoration research, installation restoration, etc.
Now, what is going on is desalination and desulfurization, which has been in progress for 6 years. "The salt content in the seawater is large, and non-desalting is not good for the later protection of the hull. At the same time, the nails of the ship a hundred years ago were corroded and a lot of sulfides were produced." Jin Tao said that the water needs to be changed every month in the early stage, and every ship plate is Numbered.
"Underwater archaeology is far more complicated than people think." Jin Tao said, it is not surprising that it took more than ten years to repair a sunken ship.
It is reported that the "Xiaobaijiao I" shipwreck is hailed as "another innovation in Chinese underwater archaeology due to its advanced work concepts, scientific archeological methods, innovative scientific and technological applications, advanced protection awareness and multiple safety guarantees. The work".
Wang Guangyuan said that underwater archaeology is a work that requires a lot of time and energy to complete, and it is a "protracted battle." It is an honor for the underwater archaeologists to show history to the public through underwater archaeological work. (Finish)