Porcelain and Chandeliers Found in Shipwreck off Norway

Archaeologists have recovered Chinese porcelain and European-made goods from a recently discovered 18th-century shipwreck off the coast of Norway, government and museum officials said on Monday.

The items found in the remains of the unnamed sailing ship included tightly stacked blue-and-white porcelain bowls, goblets, textiles, grain and parts of chandeliers, the Norwegian Maritime Museum said.

The ship, believed to have sunk in the mid-1700s, was found by the owner of a salvage firm in the Skagerrak Strait off southern Norway at a depth of about 600 m.

"This find is not only extraordinary, it's also of considerable scientific value and demonstrates an important technological advancement in underwater archaeology", said Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Norway’s minister of climate and environment.

The vessel’s origin and destination are unknown, but work is continuing to learn more about the wreck and its cargo.

(reuters, max)