Since many of the relics already recovered bear Chinese characters, experts also conclude the destination of Nan'ao-1 was probably an Asian country which was influenced by Chinese culture.
"The patterns of these relics reflect Confucian culture," says Chen Huasha, researcher of Palace Museum who has been studying the recovered relics. "Therefore, the Nao'ao-1 was most likely heading for places influenced by Confucian Philosophy, such as Japan, the Korean Peninsula and other countries in Southeast Asia."
Experts also found the fact that most of the porcelain on the vessel was made during Ming Dynasty Emperor Wanli's reign (1573-1620), of particular interest as the administration of Wanli had imposed a ban on sea trade.
The Ming Dynasty restricted private sea trade to deter piracy, which had imposed huge hardships on legitimate sea traders, and ensure maritime security along Chinese coastal areas.
This means the Nan'ao-1 was probably flouting bans on foreign trade at the time, says Sun Jian, head of the salvage team.
Sheet copper and coins found during the salvage operation also indicate that the ship might have been smuggling copper too, Sun says.
Many ancient Chinese dynasties, including the Ming Dynasty, banned the export of copper, as the metal was precious and used to manufacture coins, a major currency, in ancient China, according to Sun.
Aside from the blue-and-white porcelain plates, archeologists have discovered an item, which looks like a ring, or an earring, as well as a batch of circular copper ingots.
Some experts believe that the porcelain artifacts might be ballast, as it was common to carry inferior products to balance the ship and make it steadier, in which case more valuable relics may be found as the operation continues.
Experts hope to tell the reasons behind the ship's sinking as the excavation continues, gradually revealing the overall structure of the ship.
Jiang Bo, an expert from the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says the ship might have encountered extreme weather and lost control and rammed into the hidden rocks, abundant in the Nan'ao sea area.
"In ancient times, Chinese merchant vessels relied mainly on seasonal winds to travel," Jiang says.
This reliance on seasonal winds increased their risk of bumping into extreme weather, Jiang explains.
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