In the summer of 1984, archaeologist Thomas Layton unearthed some unexpected Chinese artifacts at a Native American site in Mendocino County, California. Driven to discover their origins, Dr. Layton set out on a quest to solve the riddle of the mysterious potsherds. These potsherds had been recovered from a cargo of Chinese porcelain spilled from a Gold Rush shipwreck. How these altered the perception of Chinese immigration into the United States and its impact on both sides is the subject of this film. What he eventually uncovered was the story of vast cultural connections and a shipwreck that impacted California forever.
Screening time: Saturday, May 16, 2:41 pm (Session 3)
Length: 29 min.
Country: USA
Language: English
Director: Matthew Ritenour
Producer: Georgia Fox
Producer Web site: None
Distributor: The Advanced Laboratory For Visual Anthropology
Distributor Web site: www.csuchico.edu/alva
Awards/Selections:
PBS Broadcast Sept. 2014, KVIE Sacramento