Qing Dynasty Blue and White Bowl mid - late 19th century

Qing Dynasty Blue and White Bowl mid - late 19th century, discovered at reclaimation developments projects adjacent seafront of Straits of Malacca in early 1970s. China has always been richly endowed with the raw materials needed for making ceramics. The first types were made about 11,000 years ago, during the Palaeolithic era. Chinese Ceramics range from construction materials such as bricks and tiles to hand built pottery vessels fired in bonfires or kilns to the sophisticated porcelain wares made for the imperial court.

Historic shipwrecks are attractive to maritime archaeologists because they preserve historical information about seafaring, warfare and life. Military wrecks that were caused by a skirmish at sea are studied to find details about the historic event and reveal much about the battle that occured. Underwater cultural heritage is invaluable testimony to ancient civilizations. A shipwreck as well as an underwater ruin is a time capsule waiting to be unlocked. In many cases it is of great historical and cultural importance.

The Qing Dynasty also known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the last ruling dynasty of China from 1644 to 1912. The dynasty was founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro. Starting in 1644 it expanded into China proper and its surrounding territories, establishing the Empire of the Great Qing. Later Jin Dynasty in 1616, it changed its name to "Qing", meaning "clear" or "pellucid", in 1636 and captured Beijing in 1644. By 1646 it had come into power over most of present day China, although complete pacification of China would not be accomplished until 1683.

Melaka was as a major player in the spice trade, serving as a fateway between the Spice Islands and high paying Eurasian merkets. One of the factors that contributed to the rise of Malacca was the monsoon winds that enabled Arab and Indian traders from the west to travel to China in the east and vice versa. This is reflected by the Portuguese writer Duarte Barbosa who wrote "He who is lord of Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice".