Chen Rui counted a total of 547 bronzes, including square tripods, round tripods, plates, swords, even squares, triptychs, zun, squares, urns, and other utensils, with a wide variety of types, exquisite casting, and beautiful ornamentation.

These bronzes have the characteristics of Shang and Zhou bronzes.

As we all know, the Shang and Zhou dynasties were the heyday of the development of Chinese bronzes.

During this period, there were a large number of bronzes and a wide variety of types, including ceremonial vessels, wine vessels, water vessels, musical instruments, and all kinds of utensils.

The shape is peculiar and the decoration is beautiful.

Another important feature of the bronzes of this period is that the bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasties have inscriptions on them.

By the late Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States period, due to the popularization and use of iron tools, copper utensils became less and less.

After the Qin and Han dynasties, with the introduction of porcelain and lacquerware into daily life, copper utensils became less numerous, the decoration was simple, mostly plain, and the carcass was thinner.

Therefore, Chen Rui judged that these bronzes were from the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

More precisely, these bronzes are from the Shang Dynasty.

The reason is simple.

Look at the inscriptions on the bronzes.

The Shang Dynasty script is oracle bone inscription.

The text of the Zhou Dynasty is Zhou Seal.

Although the two scripts are in the same vein, there are still big differences.

Therefore, the inscriptions engraved on Chen Ruitong's guò bronzes lightly judge that these bronzes are from the Shang Dynasty.

At the same time, a problem can be illustrated.

The origin of these bronzes.

Chen Rui can be sure that these bronzes were excavated by the British in the early to mid-19th centuries on Chinese soil in the so-called 'archaeological discoveries'.

It's obvious. These bronzes come from the same place, the same era.

Chen Rui speculated that the British excavated a tomb or a Shang Dynasty site in a certain period of the Shang Dynasty from the beginning of the 19th century to the middle of the 19th century.

Set aside these Shang Dynasty bronzes.

Chen Rui took a locked box found from the captain's room.

The box is made of iron. Chen Rui took it in his hand and weighed it, a little heavy.

The box was tightly closed, and rust blocked the cracks in the box.

The box is impermeable.

Chen Rui took a dagger, scraped the rust off the box, and gently pried the box open.

The contents of the box were stored for a long time in a dry environment without air and very well preserved.

There are two items in the box.

Chen Rui carefully picked up one from the box.

This is the logbook of the 'Gelsopa'.

The paper is somewhat yellowed.

Chen Rui looked at it.

Logbooking:

June 9, 1941.

The 'Gelsopa' departed from Guangzhou, China. Travel to Liverpool, UK. A batch of Chinese bronzes, porcelain was transported on board

1941 year. June 21.

The Gelsopa entered the Straits of Malacca and docked at the Singapore Harbour to replenish coal, food and water.

The ship's first mate, Ander. Abt fell ill and had to disembark halfway. Recuperating in Singapore, the captain was provisionally appointed by the second mate Crenso. Allen temporarily replaces Ender. Abt's position is to be responsible for the work of the deck department, supervising the navigation watch, cargo transportation management, and deck department maintenance work

June 23, 1941.

The Gelsopa sailed out of the Strait of Malacca and into the Indian Ocean.

Sailing a qiē normal

July 12, 1941.

The Gelsopa circumnavigated the Cape of Good Hope. Access to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Sailing a qiē normal.

July 19, 1941.

'Gelsopa' entered the North Atlantic and headed due north to the right at 10.2 knots.

Sailing a qiē normal

1941 year. July 24th.

The 'Gelsopa' entered the central part of the western part of the North University, 520 nautical miles from the Azores.

We were in big trouble, and suddenly a strong wind blew on the surface of the sea, and a huge wave came towards us.

The handwriting here is very sloppy, and Chen Rui can imagine what it was like at that time.

Outside the cabin. A strong wind blew on the sea, and a huge wave came towards the 'Gelsopa'. The ship is in danger of capsizing at any time.

At that time, the crew on duty who wrote the logbook was so nervous that the hand holding the pen trembled a little, and the writing speed was very fast, and many letters were scribbled in one stroke.

'Damn, the ship is sinking, we're done. ”

The last letter 'y' and the last 'apostrophe' stroke are very long, and a long line of handwriting is drawn on the paper.

Apparently of course, the ship began to sink, and the sea poured in on one side of the ship, and the ship tilted, and the crew on duty involuntarily toppled to one side, and the pen in his hand drew a long handwriting on the paper.

The logbook is an important legal document necessary for ships, and it was well preserved by the crew on duty before the sinking of the "Gelsopa".

In addition to the logbook of the Gelsopa, there is also a list of items transported by the Gelsopa.

Bronze and porcelain.

On the list of items, porcelain is described in great detail.

A piece of Song Ru kiln azure glazed bowl.

MING Yongle. A gourd-type bottle with ribbon ears and flat belly.

MING Zhengde. Blue and white floral pattern out of the halberd Zun

Clear. A bowl with green flowers and birds on yellow ground

A bowl with a yellow ground and green color flower and bird pattern describes the characteristics of this object very clearly, very detailed.

However, the list of bronzes, which account for the majority of the items, is described in a very simple and general manner.

Engraved inscription bronze tripod.

A bronze knight.

One piece of bronze Yue

For example, engrave an inscription bronze tripod, as for what is the name of the tripod, the square tripod or the round tripod, the three-legged or the four-legged, what ornamentation is on the tripod, what inscriptions are engraved on the tripod, the basic characteristics of these utensils are not described, very unified, simple

Even because of the large number of bronzes, the British staff who wrote the list of items at the time wrote 'a batch of bronzes' at the back of the list.

'A batch of bronzes'.

It is unknown how many pieces there are, what utensils, and what category there are.

Why is it that the list of items to be transported on such a very important ship is described so tightly and simply?

Chen Rui speculated that the British probably did not figure out the origin of these bronzes.

As soon as modern people know a little bit about bronzes, they will immediately know that they are bronzes of the Shang Dynasty when they see them and identify them a little.

Those who have studied the bronzes can even say that these bronzes belong to the Shang Dynasty.

But the British at the time didn't know it.

In fact, not only the British do not know, even the Chinese do not know.

You must know that the world's understanding of the Shang Dynasty began in 1899 when Wang Yirong, an official and epigrapher in the late Qing Dynasty

The discovery of the nail bones began. (To be continued)