Provenance study of sequan porcelain bowls from two shipwrecks near Nanri Island, Fujian, China

Abstract

Determining the provenance of mass-produced traded porcelain remains a significant challenge in archaeological research, yet accurate sourcing is essential for understanding historical trade routes, networks, and practices. While previous studies have focused on shipwreck cargo from well-known kiln sites, common wares lacking distinctive stylistic features have received less attention. This study employs portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis to investigate the provenance of sequan porcelain bowls—a type of low-quality bowl characterized by an unglazed ring on the inner bottom, commonly produced across numerous kiln sites—from two 13th–14th-century shipwrecks (the Beiri Rock No. 6 and the Beitugui Reef No. 2) near Nanri Island, Fujian, China. Reference samples were collected from three potential source kilns in coastal Fujian—Pukou, Zhuangbian, and Dongmen kilns—for comparison. The results show that all sequan bowls from both shipwrecks were likely sourced from the Pukou kiln, with the sequan bowls from the two ships possibly originating from different subregions within the Pukou kiln complex. Considering that both shipwrecks are located south of the Pukou kiln, we speculate that the ships were en route southward, possibly heading toward Quanzhou to fulfill customs registration for maritime trade. These findings underscore the effectiveness of pXRF for precise and refined provenance studies of ordinary porcelains, while also providing new insights into the maritime trade of in 13th–14th century Asia.