Portuguese Intervention in the Manila Galleon Trade

The structure and networks of trade between Asia and America in the 16th and 17th centuries as revealed by Chinese Ceramics and Spanish archives

Etsuko Miyata

• Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781784915322
• eBook ISBN: 9781784915339
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

In this study of the Portuguese intervention in the Manila Galleon Trade, Etsuko Miyata explores its history through a new approach: the examination of Chinese ceramics. The excavated Chinese ceramics from Mexico City shed light on the nature of Portuguese involvement in this huge sixteenth-century maritime trade network, and also help to clarify the relationship between the Portuguese and the Chinese merchants, who were considered to be rivals.The book analyzes the change of types and quantity of excavated Chinese ceramics from Mexico City over time. It references the trade depression during the mid seventeenth century, when the ceramic finds from Mexico City suddenly decreased, and the trade between Asia and America seemed to slow down; and it seeks to understand the effect on people from various social backgrounds in both regions. The study also considers the Atlantic coastal trade in Spain; this featured Chinese ceramic finds from Galician excavation sites. The author postulates a hypothesis that these ceramics did not come into Spain through the Manila Galleon Trade or via Atlantic trade with America, but from Lisbon where the coastal trade route powered a large amount of diverse commerce.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Figure 1: Model of trade network
• The Arrival of the Portuguese and Spanish in Asian Waters
• Photograph 1: Chinese ceramic sherds excavated from Alfama, Lisbon.(©Museu da Cidade, Lisboa)
• Photograph 2: Jingdezhen blue-and-white ewer dated to the early 16th century.(©Fundação Alameida)
• Photograph 3: Jingdezhen large blue-and-white basin dated to the middle of the 16th century (excavated from Templo Mayor, Mexico City, © INAH).
• Photograph 4: Jingdezhen large blue-and-white bowl dated to middle of the 16th century (excavated from Templo Mayor, Mexico City, © INAH).
• Photograph 5: Jingdezhen large blue-and-white bowl dated to middle of the 16th century (excavated from Templo Mayor, Mexico City, © INAH).
• Map 1: Plan of Manila in 1671 ©AGI Filipinas, MP10.
• Commerce and Merchants in the Manila Galleon Trade
• Figure 2: Taxes paid by Mexican merchants.
• Figure 3: Number of merchants participating in trans-Pacific trade.
• Photo 6: Jingdezhen polychrome bowl with double-headed eagle from the excavations at La Calle Licenciado de Verdad ©INAH.
• Figure 3: List of confiscated contraband.
• Exported Chinese Porcelain in New Spain
• Map 2: Map of excavated area of Zócalo (©INAH).
• Figure 4: Original production sites of ceramics found in Mexico City.
• Photograph 6: Kraak porcelain plate recovered from the Witte Leeuw © Rijksmuseum
• Photograph 7: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd excavated from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City © INAH.
• Photograph 10: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds excavated from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 11: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds excavated from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 8: Jingdezhen blue and white plate © Fundação Almeida
• Photograph 13: Jingdezhen blue-and-white plate with phoenix motif excavated from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 14: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds of plates from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 15: Jingdezhen blue and white plate Fundação Anastásio Gonçalves
• Photograph 16: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds from Nossa Senhora dos Máritires (©CNAS-DGPC).
• Photograph 17: Jingdezhen blue and white sherds of kraak bowls excavated from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 18: Jingdezhen blue and white sherd excavated from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 19: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds excavated from the Cathedral site (Zócalo, Mexico City © INAH).
• Photograph 20: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd excavated from Zócalo, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 21: Jingdezhen blue and white sherd excavated from the Donceles Street excavations, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 22: Jingdezhen blue and white sherds excavated from the Donceles Street excavations, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Photograph 23: Jingdezhen blue and white sherds of “crow cup” excavated from Zócalo, Mexico City (© INAH).
• Figure 5: Chronological data based on the Chinese ceramics found at the Zócalo área, Mexico City.
• Photograph 24: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds excavated from the Templo Mayor, Mexico City (left). Jingdezhen blue and white sherds excavated from La Calle Licenciado Verdad (right) (© INAH).
• Photograph 25: Wicker basket containing Japanese ceramics (©Amsterdam City Museum)
• Photograph 26: Gilded Jingdezhen polychrome vase decorated in ex-private residence in Zócalo, currently a restaurant (©INAH)
• Distribution of Chinese Ceramics and Asian Products in Spanish Society
• Map 3 Actual map of historical part of Seville ©Junta de Andalucía.
• Photograph 27: Jingdezhen blue-and-white bottle excavated from the Real Monasterio de Santa Clara, Seville, dated c. 1570-1575 (below left) (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla).
• Photograph 28: Jingdezhen blue-and-white bowl with bird design dated to c. 1550-1575, excavated from Cuartel del Carmen, Seville (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla).
• Photograph 29: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds of plates excavated from Cuartel del Carmen(© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla).
• Photograph 30: Jingdezhen blue-and-white plate dated from 1575 to the late 16th century excavated from San Juan (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla).
• Photograph 31: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds of plate with taihu rockery design excavated from Calle San Fernando (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla)
• Photograph 32: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of bottle excavated from San Juan de Acre, Seville (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla)
• Photograph 33: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of tall cup excavated from San Juan de Acre, Seville (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla).
• Photograph 34: Possibly Guangdong (?) blue-and-white sherd of plate with flower-basket motif excavated from San Juan de Acre, Seville (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla)
• Figure 6. Quantity of excavated Chinese porcelain in Seville
• Photograph 35: Dehua blue-and-white cup excavated from San Juan de Acre, Seville (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla).
• Photograph 36: Jingdezhen polychrome bowl with cover found at the La Florida site, Seville (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla).
• Photograph 37: Seville blue-and-white ware with Chinese influence (left) (© Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla). Jingdezhen blue and white plate from the Vung Thau (right) (© Museo Nacional del Arte Decorativo).
• Map 4: Map of Spain and Portugal.
• Photograph 38: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of plate excavated from Monterreal.©Museo do Mar
• Photograph 39: Jingdezhen blue-and-white plate with linzhi motif on the rim excavated from Monterreal.162
• Photograph 40: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of bowl with egret and floral design excavated from Monterreal.
• Photograph 41: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of plate with deer and pine motif excavated from Monterreal.
• Photograph 42: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of plate with egret motif excavated from Monterreal.
• Photograph 43: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of plate with deer design excavated from Monterreal.
• Photograph 44: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of plate excavated from Calle Hospital, Vigo.169
• Photograph 45: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds of bottle dated to the mid 16th century excavated from Casa del Deán.175
• Photograph 46: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of plate excavated from Casa del Deán.
• Photograph 47: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of deep bowl (klapmutsen) excavated from Casa del Deán.
• Photograph 48: Large Jingdezhen blue-and-white kraak-type moulded plate excavated from Casa del Deán.
• Photograph 49: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of plate excavated from Casa del Deán.
• Photograph 50: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds of plates excavated from the Maceda site.
• Map 5: Lisbon.
• Photograph 51: Chinese ceramic sherds excavated from Alfama (© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 52: Chinese ceramic sherd with conch shell motif in the centre excavated from Alfama (below right) (© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 53: Blue-and-white bowl with floral spray design excavated from Alfama (left) (© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 54: Chinese ceramics with cross mark on the base excavated from Alfama (© Museu da Cidade)
• Photograph 55: Chinese ceramics with reign marks on the base excavated from Alfama(© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 56: Jingdezhen blue-and-white large dish with wave design on the interior and scroll design on the exterior excavated from Alfama (© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 57: Jingdezhen blue-and-white large plates excavated from Alfama(© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 58: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherd of small bowl with circular motif on the exterior excavated from Alfama(© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 59: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds of bowls excavated from Alfama(© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 60: Jingdezhen blue-and-white sherds of bowls generally known as wantouxin excavated from Alfama (© Museu da Cidade).
• Photograph 61: Jingdezhen blue-and-white plate with phoenix motif on the central medallion excavated from Alfama (© Museu da Cidade).
• Glossary
• Bibliography
• AGN Contratación 1795-1802
• Back Cover