Between 1413 and 1433, seven fleets of Chinese ships were sent out under the command of the legendary Admiral Zheng He, a contemporary of Christopher Columbus.
The last of these sailed to the Straits of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf where it was wrecked. The fleet still lies on the ocean floor.
Sydney University’s Ocean Technology Group is currently hosting Professor Hu Changqing from the Chinese Academy of Sciences while he visits Sydney. Professor Hu is one of the scientists working with the university and the government of Oman to search for Chinese ships wrecked off the northern Omani coast in the 15th century.
Associate Professor Phil Mulhearn, from the Ocean Technology Group and School of Geosciences, designed the advanced underwater imaging system used to conduct the ocean floor surveys.
The first survey, conducted in 2009, uncovered another 10 sites where treasure might be found, and a second survey is to be completed in 2011.
These wrecks are important because any discovered sea treasure will reveal hidden secrets about the exchanges between the Far East and the West in the early 15th century. Sea treasure is generally far better preserved than treasure found on land.
Source: Sydney Central [September 12, 2010]