Shipwreck off Vietnam yields 700 year old coins, ceramics

Thousands of antiquities have been recovered from a 700-year-old shipwreck discovered in Vietnam's central province of Quang Ngai, local media reported. Four thousand artifacts believed to date back to the 13th century, including coins and ceramics, were recovered undamaged, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said, quoting local reports. The Quang Ngai provincial steering board for archaeological exploration said the artifacts were retrieved from the seabed during an excavation June 4-23. The ship, which measures 67 feet long and 18 feet wide, contained 13 cargo holds. Remnants gathered from holds 4 to 6 prove the ship caught fire before sinking, archaeologists said. "The hulk itself, which boasts unique, rare structure, is a treasured antique, which contributes massively to our knowledge of antique ships in Vietnam and worldwide," Nguyen Dinh Chien, deputy head of the National History museum, said.