Source: CCTV.com

02-05-2008 09:20

There's been much hype surrounding the sunken ancient Chinese merchant boat, which was raised from the depths of South China Sea in December. But there's more to it than the public storm.

Nanhai one(Xinhua photo)

And over the weekend, they also showcased some of the earliest finds from the vessel.

Archeologists say the Nanhai One, or "South China Sea One," China's first underwater archeological find, is also the most important one so far. China launched its underwater archaeology campaign in 1987, the year Nanhai One was discovered.

After twenty years of development, China is now a leader in this field in Asia. Archaeologists give a lot of credit to the discovery of Nanhai One.