Reed. China, Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), 19th century

Reed. China, Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), 19th century.
Assembled with wood.
It shows erosion, accidents and no visible parts.
Similar pieces are catalogued in the book "Chine, ciel et terre. 500 ans d'Inventions et de Découvertes".
Measurements: 34 x 135 cm.

The junk is possibly one of the oldest known sailing vessels, as its appearance is documented as early as 600 BC and it is still in use in many parts of Southeast Asia. The hull has a short stern and no keel. Although the best known are the Chinese, they were also built in Japan, Vietnam, Korea and other coastal countries of the greater Pacific. One of the great differences with respect to European ships was that the junks were built with watertight compartments (bulkheads), so that if water entered one of them, the rest allowed navigation to continue without danger.