Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Feb 10 (AP) - The Cambodian government has asked foreign partners to help bring up a centuries-old vessel discovered by divers off the southwestern coast in 2006, an official said.
It is believed that the wooden sailing ship laden with pottery and other artifacts is Chinese and was sunk in the 15th or 16th century, said Chuch Phoeung, Deputy Minister of Culture and Fine Arts.
A number of Chinese ships have been found in Southeast Asian waters in recent decades, with many yielding a wealth of artifacts and information about China's seafaring history.
The ship 30 meters long and 8 meters wide has not been identified but Chinese characters were found on some of the 900 pieces of pottery that have been recovered from it.
The minister said the artifacts are in a warehouse and that a museum will eventually be built to house them.
Chuch Phoeung said there had been attempts by two teams one Chinese and one Russian to bring the ship up but they lacked the money and expertise to retrieve the wreck.
" Cambodia is lacking money, and we don&apost have divers or the technical expertise," Chuch Phoeung said, adding that the operation would cost about USD 1 million.
It is believed that the wooden sailing ship laden with pottery and other artifacts is Chinese and was sunk in the 15th or 16th century, said Chuch Phoeung, Deputy Minister of Culture and Fine Arts.
A number of Chinese ships have been found in Southeast Asian waters in recent decades, with many yielding a wealth of artifacts and information about China's seafaring history.
The ship 30 meters long and 8 meters wide has not been identified but Chinese characters were found on some of the 900 pieces of pottery that have been recovered from it.
The minister said the artifacts are in a warehouse and that a museum will eventually be built to house them.
Chuch Phoeung said there had been attempts by two teams one Chinese and one Russian to bring the ship up but they lacked the money and expertise to retrieve the wreck.
" Cambodia is lacking money, and we don&apost have divers or the technical expertise," Chuch Phoeung said, adding that the operation would cost about USD 1 million.
