Turiang people

The late Sten Sjostrand came to Southeast Asia c.1970 to design and engineer marine structures. A keen sailor, he then spent many years exploring in Malaysian waters, and discovered wrecks dating from the Song dynasty through World War II. He developed a deep interest in the history of Southeast Asian maritime trade, and in the history and aesthetics of Asian ceramics.

Claire Barnes had no expertise in Asian ceramics, and an amateur interest in Asian history and maritime archaeology, but was catalytic in publication of the Turiang research.¹. Contact: claire@maritimeasia.ws.

Both agreed that all findings from the wrecks investigated should be published, and that maximum information should be derived on all aspects of ancient shipbuilding, trade, shipboard life, etc. Indispensable contributions to the Turiang research had been made by:

• The late Roxanna Brown, a world-recognised expert on Southeast Asian trade ceramics, then the adjunct curator of Southeast Asian ceramics at Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California. She and Sten Sjostrand were co-authors of Turiang: A Fourteenth Century Shipwreck in Southeast Asian Waters².


• Johan Milton, a member of the diving team who devoted much time to the registration and conservation of artefacts.


• Andi Baumgartener and Scott Sheehan, the other members of the diving team for the Turiang wreck.
• Robert McLeod, who took many of the photographs.
• Ong Choon Kwang, Duangta Thoetwangmuang, and Khalid Yusop.