Move over Indiana Jones, amateur Australian archeologists say they've found evidence in the Northern Territory that Chinese mariners beat Europeans to the continent.

While China may represent Australia's economic future, a group of Australian archeologists may have found a connection in the distant past.

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Australia's leading ABC TV network is reporting that the group calling itself the Past Masters found a Qing dynasty coin on a remote island northeast of the Northern Territories coast.

Although the coin probably was made between 1737 and 1794, speculation arising from the find is that Chinese nautical pioneers may have reached the coast earlier. Past Master Mike Owen told ABC TV the find reveals, at the very least, a trading relationship between the Middle Kingdom and Aboriginal tribes.

Adding further credence to the theory, five copper Chinese coins and an old map were evaluated by an Indiana University -- no relation to Indiana Jones -- professor and Australian scientist. The coins and map had been found by an Australian soldier during World War Two on the Wessel Islands, also due north of Arnhem Land.

Chinese maritime history continues to be unraveled with evidence being uncovered dating maritime efforts back many hundreds of years. Discovery of a rare, 600-year-old Chinese coin on Manda island off Kenya's Coast caused a stir as it indicated the Chinese, rather than the Portuguese, were the first non-natives along that maritime trading route.

The Qing coin was found on July 25. Past Masters were on a seven day trip to Eicho Island near Darwin. Owen said it represented the first time they located a Chinese coin in the area. The island, northeast of Arnhem Land, previously has revealed African coins dating back a thousand years. Those coins were discovered in the 1940s.

Owen put on his Indiana Jones cap as he speculated the Chinese coin also may have been brought to the area by Macassan traders who came to the area from Indonesia. They interacted with Chinese traders along with Aboriginal people. Macassans brought back sea cucumbers known as trepang, which they turned over to Chinese traders.

Further adding credence to the Chinese-Australian tale are Aboriginal tales of Chinese sailors coming to the area along with tales of fishermen using Chinese coins to add weight to their fishing lines.

TagsAustralia, maritime trade, ancient coins, Indiana Jones, Past Masters