No ancient ship exceeds the ancient Chinese “junk” boat for sheer size and scale.

Reports and archaeological evidence from the time suggest the largest junks were long, keel-less boats with four to six enormous sails, reaching up to an amazing 140 metres in length.

Junks are believed to have been in operation for close to 2,000 years, reaching their zenith in terms of design during the reign of the Song dynasty – in the 10th century AD.

The Chinese were operating successful, sea-going sail-boats several hundred years before the advent of the Nordic sail-boats, but long after ancient civilisations, such as the Greeks first began harnessing the power of the sail.

Between the 5th and 8th centuries AD, the Chinese also invented and operated the paddle-boat. Vast treadmills powered the ship’s progress through the water, manned by slaves.

Ancient Chinese seafarers largely used junks to sail around the ports of the Indian Ocean, make trading links and searching for valuable stores of minerals, precious stones and other commodities.