Ningbo Port and the Maritime Trade of Celadon from the Shanglin Lake, 800 - 1200: New Perspectives and Insights from Archaeological Evidence

This paper explores the pivotal role of the Yue kilns in the Shanglin Lake region in the production of celadon and its trade via the Ningbo port along the Maritime Silk Road between 800 and 1200 CE.Drawing upon new perspectives and insights from archaeological evidence, the study shows that the Shanglin Lake area became the major and leading center for celadon production, contributing to as much as 70 percent of all Chinese export ceramics in the trade along the Maritime Silk Road between 1000 and 1100 CE.The paper also shows how a detailed analysis of the design on the Yue ware celadon can contribute to the dating of archaeological excavations like the Intan Wreck and to provenance studies, like the origin of ceramic artefacts in the cargo of this shipwreck.The findings offer new perspectives on the scale, distribution, and cultural significance of the trade in celadon from the Shanglin Lake, underscoring its significance in Chinese ceramic history, Maritime Silk Road trade and world cultural heritage.