KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 4 (UPI) -- A treasure trove of Ming dynasty porcelain was reported recovered Sunday from a shipwreck off the coast of Malaysia.
About 20 percent of the 6,000 blue and white porcelain items are in pristine condition, despite having been underwater for about 400 years, the BBC reported.
Among the recovered items are bowls bearing the mark of Emperor Chenghua, who ruled China in the 15th Century.
The vessel is thought to have been a Portuguese merchant ship which may have been sunk by an enemy ship.
A coat of arms found on a bottle on the ship has led marine archaeologists to believe it was built by the Portuguese in the Philippines and used for trading in Chinese porcelain.
It was probably sunk in the early 1600s as it was sailing from China to the Indonesian city of Jakarta, according to the director of the Malaysia's Department of Museums and Antiquities, Adi Taha.
