The wrecks were first discovered in October 2022 by Shenhai Yongshi after about 500 exploratory dives. They were identified as being from the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) and were later named the No 1 and No 2 shipwrecks near the northwest continental slope of the South China Sea.

The relatively well-preserved wrecks contain a large number of cultural relics of important historical, scientific and artistic value. The discovery is not only a major breakthrough for China’s deep-sea archaeology, but also ___________________.