Boats Floating Afar: The Maritime Trade of Ancient Chinese Ceramics

The Maritime Silk Road was a network of sea routes linking China with Asia, the Arabian Gulf, Africa and Europe. From the Tang dynasty onwards, ceramic goods were exported in increasing quantities and became some of the most valued trade items across the Indian Ocean. Over many centuries, this maritime exchange linked distant regions and influenced trade, daily life and artistic traditions. The exhibition explores Chinese pottery and porcelain produced for maritime trade from the Tang to the Qing dynasties (618–1911 CE). Around 120 objects trace more than a thousand years of ceramic production and exchange. Shipwreck finds, archaeological discoveries and recent research reveal the journeys of these wares and the networks through which goods, people and ideas moved. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with the National Museum of China. National Museum of Qatar Art & Culture Ends: 2027-01-31