Putting the past to rest with repatriated artifacts

via Jakarta Post, 04 October 2022: A story on the recent return of the Tek Sing cargo from Australia to Indonesia.

Australia returned hundreds of artifacts from the Chinese trade ship Tek Sing to Indonesia 200 years after the vessel sank off the archipelago’s Bangka-Belitung islands with the loss of more than 1,600 lives and a cargo of nearly 350,000 porcelain pieces.

The porcelain plates laid on the display table at the Indonesian Embassy to Australia in Canberra, their swirling blue patterns as vivid now as when they were manufactured about 200 years ago.

A saucer laid unassumingly near the set. While its discolored façade reflected the toll age and wear took on the dish, the saucer’s intricate, geometric patterns remain eye-catching. Overall, they reflect the masterful craftsmanship and artistry of blue and white Chinese porcelain pottery during their heyday between the 15th to 19th centuries.

Source: Putting the past to rest with repatriated artifacts – Art & Culture – The Jakarta Post