South Korean archaeologists have recovered the complete remains of a 600-year-old cargo ship from the seabed off the country’s west coast, providing rare insight into how goods and taxes were transported during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910).

The National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage announced on 10 November that the 15th-century vessel, named Mado 4, was successfully raised from the seabed in October after nearly ten years of conservation and study.

According to the institute, Mado 4 is now the only fully excavated ship from the Joseon period, giving the clearest physical evidence of the dynasty’s government-run maritime transport system.

The ship was originally discovered in 2015 near Taean, South Chungcheong Province. For several years, it remained submerged as researchers carefully retrieved over 120 artefacts from the site.

The recovered items included wooden cargo tags inscribed with destinations, containers of rice, and porcelain crafted for government tribute.

Experts said these findings show that the vessel was part of the “joun” system, a state-managed network that moved grain and official goods from local depots to the royal capital of Hanyang, now known as Seoul.

An official from the institute said the discovery was significant, describing the vessel as a representation of the Joseon state’s logistical infrastructure, revealing how the kingdom efficiently transported food, goods, and information across long distances by sea.

Archaeologists believe that Mado 4 sank around the year 1420 while travelling from Naju, a major grain collection centre in South Jeolla Province.

The west coast route was known for its strong tides and rocky seabed, conditions that are thought to have caused the vessel’s sinking and preserved its remains beneath layers of sand and silt for centuries.

The discovery also revealed valuable details about shipbuilding during that time. Researchers found that Mado 4 had a twin-mast design, unlike the single-mast ships used earlier in Korea. This design likely made the vessel faster and easier to steer.

They also found iron nails used in the ship’s repairs, marking the first confirmed use of metal fasteners in a traditional Korean ship. Until this discovery, such ships were thought to rely solely on wooden joints for construction.

References: Thestar, koreaherald