The preliminary assessment of top 10 new archaeological discoveries in China 2022 was launched on February 3. "The Song Dynasty kiln sites of Qishi Kiln and Wentouling Kiln in Foshan", which have attracted much attention, entered the preliminary evaluation as the only candidate in Guangdong.

In September 2021, Qishi Kiln site and Wentouling Kiln site was investigated and explored by Guangdong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology (GPICRA), together with relevant cultural institutions of Foshan and District levels.

The Ximen Village dragon kiln of Qishi Kiln

The results showed that two rare kinds of sloping dragon kilns dated back to Song Dynasty were found in Qishi Kiln and Wentouling Kiln. And a large number of artifacts with clear stratification were unearthed. It was confirmed that the ancient shipwrecks in Southeast Asia, such as Nanhai I, and the large sauce-glaze pots unearthed in the Song Dynasty layer at the Nanyue State Palace site were produced from these two kilns.

Fragments of ceramic pots printed with year stamps collected from Qishi Kiln

Xiao Dashun, director of the archaeological excavation project of Qishi Kiln and Wentouling Kiln and director of the Underwater Archaeology Institute of GPICRA, said that the archaeological work of these two kiln sites in the past two years has confirmed the direct connection between Foshan and the shipwreck of Nanhai I of the Southern Song Dynasty. It showed the whole process of Foshan ceramics from production, port trade, to ship out on the Maritime Silk Road.