長崎對出水域發現第二隻沈没元朝入侵賊船

Yesterday the Asahi News on-line reported the following:

長崎沖で沈没船を発見　元寇船２隻目か「保存状態良い」

上田輔

2014年10月2日23時39分

　長崎県松浦市の鷹島沖で１３世紀の元寇（げんこう）の遺跡を調査していた琉球大と市教委の研究チームが２日、新たに沈没船を発見したと発表した。遺物が見つかっておらず断定はできないが、２隻目の元寇船とみられ、来年度に発掘して遺物の有無などを調べる。

　現場は、鷹島南岸の水深約１４メートルの地点で、２０１１年に１隻目の元寇船が見つかった地点から東に約１・７キロ離れた国史跡「鷹島神崎遺跡」の外側。船上から音波探査し、反応があった９カ所で潜水し、海底を棒で突いて確認。木材と見られる手応えのあった場所を試掘して確認したという。

　見つかったのは船首に近い部分と右舷、左舷の一部。右舷側の木材は約１１メートルの長さにわたって確認できた。船体の中央部には船のバランスを取るバラストと見られる多数の石材が分布。石材の下には、船底の背骨にあたる竜骨（キール）があるとみられる。

　１隻目と比べて保存状態がよい半面、１隻目で見つかった中国産の陶磁器などの遺物は見つかっておらず、元寇船と断定するには至らなかったという。

　研究チームを率いる琉球大の池田栄史教授は「元寇船であってほしいが、構造や大きさ、年代の確定は発掘してはっきりさせたい。保存状態が良く、陶磁器や武器などの積み荷が相当あるのではないか」と期待した。（上田輔）

(試譯文)

   On the 2nd a research team, which investigated the ruins of a Mongolian Invasion-ship of the 13th century in the offing of Takashima in Matsuura-shi of Nagasaki and was formed by the board of education and the University of Ryukyus, announced that a sunken ship was newly discovered. Although it was impossible to confirm whether any remaining items could be found, it was seen as the second Mongolian Invasion-ship, and would be unearthed next year to investigate the existence of any remaining items etc.

   The spot was at a depth of about 14 meters off the Takashima southern coast, outside of the country historic relics "Ruins of Takashima Kanzaki", and was about 1.7 km east from the point where the first Mongolian Invasion-ship was found in 2011. Acoustic exploration was carried out from on board and dives were made at nine locations that had responded. The seabed that had sticks poking out was checked. It was said that places with a response was believed to have wood and was prospected for confirmation.

   What was found was a portion near the bow, the starboard, and a part of the port side. The wood of the starboard side covering a length of about 11 meters had been checked. Many stones believed to be the ballasts used for ship balancing were scattered over the central part of the hull. It was expected that the keel (ki- ru), as the backbone of the ship's bottom, was under these stones.

   While the preservation state was good compared with the first boat, the items that remained such as the Chinese pottery that was discovered in the first boat were not found, as such it was said that it could not be concluded that it was a Mongolian Invasion-ship.

   Professor Ikeda Yoshifumi of the University of the Ryukyus who commanded the research team hoped that "while wishing it is a Mongolian Invasion-ship, I want to clarify its structure, size, and age by unearthing it. While the preservation state is good, it is unsure whether there will be a considerable amount of pottery and arms cargo etc."

It is an interesting historical discovery.