High Island relics on show at Maritime Museum

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The stone anchor retrieved from High Island                Photo: HKMM

In mid-July 2016, Dr. Bill Jeffery, Assistant Professor of the University of Guam/Research Associate at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum led a team of local divers from the Hong Kong Underwater Heritage Group to recover a 1,000 year old stone anchor stock off High Island, Sai Kung, under the licence from the Antiquities and Monuments Office, Leisure and Cultural Services Department (AMO, LCSD). This archaeological find highlights the historical role played by Hong Kong in the Maritime Silk Road as a safe harbour, place of replenishment and point of departure.

After about two years’ conservation the artifact will be presented to the public for the first time, along with a range of excavated items (loaned from AMO) from Sacred Hill North (near Sung Wong Toi MTR Station work site of Sha Tin to Central Link) in an exhibition about Chinese maritime trade.

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Relics from the excavation of the Sung Wong Toi MTR station            Photo: HKMM

Co-organised by the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (HKMM) and the Guangdong Museum, East Meets West: Maritime Silk Routes in the 13th – 18th Centuries is an exhibition designed to promote community understanding of the development of maritime silk routes along the Southern coast of China, from the Southern Song to the Early Qing dynasties from the perspectives of community trade, religions, cultural exchange, historical and maritime archaeology.

The exhibition will be held at Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Central Pier No. 8, from 14 August to 11 November 2018. The exhibits comprise of ceramics, gold and silver, semi-precious stones, trade paintings, silk, stone carvings, historical maps and publications, metal ware, bamboo and wooden carvings, ship models and navigation maps.

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Diving for artifacts at High Island Reservoir                       Photo: HKMM

Museum Director, Mr. Richard Wesley says,“The exhibition will include some previously unseen items that highlight how complex, diverse and rich China’s trading relationships were during the 500 year period featured in the display. We would also like to thank The Swire Group Charitable Trust for their generous funding support.”

For more details, and times of opening, see http://www.hkmaritimemuseum.org/eng/visit/general-information/15/

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