Full Recovery of the Mado 4: Archaeologists Uncover Secrets of Joseon Maritime Logistics

The National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage (NRIMH) announced on November 10, 2025, the successful culmination of an extraordinary underwater archaeological endeavor: the complete retrieval of the 600-year-old Joseon-era cargo vessel known as the Mado 4. This historic ship was carefully raised from the seabed off the coast of Taean, located in South Chungcheong Province on Korea’s western seaboard. This operation marks a monumental achievement, representing the first time a vessel from this specific period has been fully exhumed, signaling a major triumph for maritime archaeology.

The monumental effort to recover the Mado 4 began nearly a decade earlier, in 2015, when the wreck was first discovered. The intervening years required meticulous on-site conservation and analysis before the final lift. Currently, the Mado 4 is undergoing an extensive process of desalination and preservation in Taean. Preliminary work at the wreck site yielded more than 120 invaluable artifacts. These findings included fine porcelain intended for government tribute payments, crates filled with rice, and wooden tags detailing specific destinations. These items provide tangible evidence of the highly organized state management and sophisticated logistics system that characterized the Joseon Dynasty.

Researchers, including experts from the Cultural Heritage Administration of South Korea, have confirmed that the Mado 4 operated within the critical state transportation network known as the *joun*. This system was essential for moving grain and official goods from provincial storage facilities to the capital city, Hanyang (now Seoul). It is hypothesized that the vessel sank around 1420 while sailing from Naju, a major grain collection hub in South Jeolla Province. The route was notoriously treacherous due to powerful tides and rocky passages, conditions which ironically may have contributed to the hull’s remarkable preservation beneath layers of silt and sand.

The structural design of the Mado 4 offers crucial insights into the naval engineering capabilities of the time. Unlike earlier Korean vessels, which typically featured a single mast, the Mado 4 utilized a two-masted configuration. Experts suggest this design choice indicates a deliberate effort to enhance both speed and maneuverability. Furthermore, the discovery of repair traces involving iron nails represents the first confirmed instance of metallic fasteners being used in a traditional Korean ship structure. This technological breakthrough significantly illuminates the logistical capacity of the Joseon dynasty and opens new avenues for understanding the maritime infrastructure of that era.

Intriguingly, signs of a second, potentially older sunken vessel were detected in the immediate vicinity. Preliminary dating suggests this second wreck dates back to 1150–1175, potentially placing it within the Goryeo Dynasty. If this timeline is verified, it would surpass the Mado 4 by over two centuries, becoming the oldest known shipwreck in Korean history. A selection of the recovered artifacts is currently accessible to the public at the Taean Maritime Museum as part of the special exhibition, "Ship of the Nation Sailing the Sea," which is scheduled to run until February 2026.