An archaeological expedition will depart Darwin this weekend on a mission to excavate relics left behind on Australia’s only known wreck of a Japanese pearling mothership.

The nine-strong expedition team of divers and archaeologists will carefully remove artefacts from the Sanyo Maru, which sunk off the coast of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory in 1937.

The unique collection of relics and excavation of the wreck will provide new insight into the early years of the Japanese pearling industry during the 1930s.

Maritime Archaeologist David Steinberg said the team was looking to conserve an important piece of maritime heritage.

“This expedition is incredibly exciting and will unlock an important chapter in the Northern Territory’s early history,” Mr Steinberg said.

“The Sanyo Maru wreckage is in remarkable condition and its archaeological relics hold great significance for the Northern Territory.

It is a reminder of the strong ties between Australia and Japan and also the development of the pearling industry in Australia.

“I look forward to seeing these stories brought to life through the artefacts recovered from the Sanyo Maru.”

The 36 metre long steel hulled Sanyo Maru was the pride of the Japanese pearling fleet when it sank during a storm in Boucaut Bay, 60 kilometres off Maningrida.

It’s long believed the ship sank because it was overloaded with cargo including 200 tonnes of mother of pearl, worth about 70,000 pounds, a small fortune at the time.

Of the 20 crew members on board the Sanyo Maru, two died when it sunk while a third died during the initial salvage.

The salvage attempt in the 1930s removed most of the precious cargo and the mother of pearl on board but examples of personal belongings of crew members and other items of historic significance remain on the ship.

The week-long archaeological expedition is being led by the Heritage Branch of the Northern Territory Government in conjunction with Tokai University in Japan and is being supported by a $12,000 Australian Government grant from the Australia-Japan Foundation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, support from the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy Historic Shipwreck Program, as well as in-kind support from Bhagwan Marine Services and Paspaley Pearls.

Well-known Territorian James Paspaley, whose family pioneered Australia’s pearling industry in 1930s, has also supported the project by donating Paspaley Pearls’ pearling mothership, the Nalena Bay, for the expedition.

James Paspaley, also the Honorary Consul-General Japan for the NT, said the Japanese pearling fleet played an important role in Paspaley’s history and, indeed, the history of the entire Australian pearling industry.

“Most of the hardhat divers who worked in the Australian industry from the late 19th to mid 20th Centuries originated from the Japanese fleet. We are pleased to have the opportunity to assist with the archaeological expedition to the wreck of the Japanese fleet’s mothership, the Sanyo Maru.”

“We believe it is important that government and industry support initiatives of this type to ensure the Australian pearling industry’s rich history and its contribution to the development of northern Australia is not forgotten,” he said.

The Heritage Branch ran a successful expedition to the wreck of the Sanyo Maru in 2012 to record the wreck, capturing photos and video footage.

The artefacts uncovered from the Sanyo Maru will be donated to the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The wreckage of the Sanyo Maru is protected as an historic shipwreck under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act.

Follow the journey on the Heritage facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HeritageNT

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