Oslo, Norway-science in norway The wreck of a ship carrying a cargo of eighteenth-century Chinese porcelain has been found almost intact under about 2,000 feet of water off the coast of Norway, reports say. “We often find cargo and freight, but it is usually broken or covered by marine growth,” said Sven Ahrens of the Norwegian Maritime Museum. “Here, entire plates were lying in a heap on the ocean floor,” he said. He said that there were also glass vessels, chandeliers and sealed boxes in the ship. A 3D model of the wreck and a map of the site have been created, and approximately 40 artifacts have been brought to the surface using a remotely operated underwater vehicle with a robotic arm equipped with suction cups. “These are not only beautiful, aesthetically impressive and valuable discoveries,” said marine archaeologist Ivar Aarstad. “They will also play an important role in improving our understanding of our economic history,” he explained. Researchers believe the small cargo ship sailed to Northern Europe, and picked up Chinese porcelain in Gothenburg, Copenhagen or Amsterdam. To read about luxury goods recovered from a seventeenth-century wreck on a small Dutch island, visit “global cargo“
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