Re-visting The Dating For the
Earliest Zhangzhou (Swatow) Blue and white
The earliest production date of Zhangzhou ware remains uncertain and
a topic still much debated. Some of the known wrecks such as San
Isidro, Nanao 1 and Blanakan, are believed to carry some of the
earliest known Zhangzhou ware. However the dating is much
debated with conclusion of dating varying from Late Jiajing to early
Wanli.
Recently I read the excavation report of
the Ko Kradat wreck, located near Southeastern Thailand, salvaged in
1978/80. The cargo consisted of mainly Thai iron-black painted
wares, brown glaze jars/jarlets and some Chinese blue and white
fragments. However, what is of particular interest to me was the
presence of two fragments of Zhangzhou blue and white fragments with
floral motif painted with calligraphic strokes in this wreck. The
other known wreck with cargo of Zhangzhou and Thai Sawankhalok
iron-black painted ware is San Isidro from the water of Philippines.
However, only two jarlets with iron-black painted decoration were
found. In view of the small number, it is hard to know whether
they were some older items belonging to the sailors and hence not
contemporaneous to the cargo of Zhangzhou wares.
The production date of those Thai Sawankhalok iron-black painted
wares could offer useful clue and leads to confirm the dating of
earliest Zhangzhou blue and white. It was given a late Ming
Wanli dating. But subsequent discovery and research studies done on
Xuande, Phu Quoc 1 and Singtai wrecks narrowed down the production
of the Sawankhalok iron- brown wares to possibly 1530 - 1560 A.D
time- frame.
The production of such wares was likely in response to declining demand
for its celadon wares in the face of commanding popularity of Chinese
and Vietnamese blue and white. It would appear the Thai potters for
some reasons were unable to find cobalt or choose to use iron oxide as
colorant for its decorated wares. But the composition and motifs
clearly shown influence from Chinese and Vietnam sources.
Among the fragments, there is one with the Jiajing mark on the base.
Hence, the wreck is either Jiajing or later.
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| Fragment with the Made in Ming
Jiajing Mark |
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| Some Ming blue and white
fragments |
| |
Also there is one bowl fragment with the grapes and vine decoration
on the interior and pine tree on the exterior. In the Ko Kradat
report, it was erroneously identified as of Sawankhalok origin.
Interestingly, such bowls were salvaged from the Indonesia Blanakan
and Nanao 1 wrecks.
 |
| |
| Left bottom Zhangzhou fragment stylistically similar
to that on the bowl on right |
Stylistically, those from Ko Kradat and Blanakan are very similar
whereas that from Nanao 1 more sketchily and poorly drawn.
If we compare the Zhangzhou wares from the Kradat, Blanakan, Philippines
San Isidro and Nanao wreck 1 wreck, stylistically the calligraphic
strokes of the blue and white motifs from Nanao 1 wreck are more free
but not as controlled and elegantly executed as that from the other 3
wrecks.
.jpg) |
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| More examples from the Nanao 1
wreck |
If we examine the blue and white from the San Isidro wreck, some
examples have motifs and composition which are more similar to the
Jingdezhen examples of Hongzhi/Zhengde period. In contrast, those from
Nanao 1 wreck have evolved and shown increasingly more distinct features
in motifs and composition.
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| Comparison of Jingdezhen and
Zhangzhou examples |
In 2019 Shanghai Museum did TL testings on two of the Jingdezhen samples
from the Nanao 1 wreck. The results showed a dating range of 490±40 and
498±50 respectively. Hence the terminus ante quem date range is 1569 -
1571 A.D equivalent to 3rd to 5th year of Longqing reign (1567 - 1572
A.D).
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| Two samples from Nanao 1 wreck
TL tested |
In conclusion, based on information on the dating of the Thai
Sawankhalok iron-black painted wares and the stylistic comparison with
Nanao 1 examples, I am more incline to push the dating for the Zhangzhou
wares from the San Isidro, Blanakan and Ko Kradat wrecks to at least the
late Jiajing period.
Written by: NK Koh (10 Jun 2022)
