Joint archaeological mission brings history to life Experts come together to study two ancient civilizations that merge from the shores of the Mediterranean and the southern ports of China, report Wang Qian and Wang Kaihao. By Wang Qian and Wang Kaihao | China Daily | Updated: 2026-09-29 06:32

Joint archaeological mission brings history to life Experts come together to study two ancient civilizations that merge from the shores of the Mediterranean and the southern ports of China, report Wang Qian and Wang Kaihao. By Wang Qian and Wang Kaihao | China Daily | Updated: 2026-09-29 06:32 https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202609/29/WS6abaeb01e4b06d4aa0560a4a.html At the Fustat site near Cairo, Chinese porcelain shards dating from the Tang (618-907) to the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties appear as lasting witnesses to two ancient civilizations. In the book Zhufan Zhi (Gazetteer of Foreign Lands), Zhao Rukuo, a maritime trade official of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), described Egypt and its port city Alexandria, including a remarkable account of the great tower on the Mediterranean shore — the Lighthouse of Alexandria. His knowledge came from merchants, maps and accounts that journeyed to the ports of southern China.