New Artifacts Recovered From 'Holy Grail' of Spanish Shipwrecks That Sank With Fortune in Colombia
Colombian authorities have announced the discovery of new artifacts from a shipwreck they discovered almost a decade ago. The artifacts were found on the legendary Spanish galleon, San Jose, the Colombian Government said, CBS News reported.
Since 2015, various expeditions have been sent to the shipwreck to unearth new materials. However, this is the first time a robotic exploration was undertaken on the three-century-old shipwreck.
The exploration led to the discovery of items like an anchor and parts of the ship's cargo, including jugs and glass bottles. Images published by the institution also show cast iron cannons, porcelain pieces, pottery, and objects made of gold.
San Jose has been considered the "Holy Grail" of shipwrecks. The Spanish crown sent the ship to the New World, for exploration. The galleon was expected to hold treasures worth billions of dollars, that the crew was returning with to the court of King Philip V of Spain.
San Jose was attacked by the British navy near Cartagena in 1708. The galleon sunk in the waters after the attack and only a handful of the crew members survived, CBS News reported.
The British documents claim that an internal explosion, in the ship, caused the sinking, as per the Colombian government. The Spanish documents paint another story, alleging that a battle, caused the vessel to sink.
The Colombian government announced the shipwreck discovery in 2015. Before the discovery, many treasure hunters sought the wreckage, as it was rumored that the ship was laden with treasures such as chests of emeralds and some 200 tons of gold coins.
"Results of this exploration have revealed an unprecedented set of archaeological evidence, which has greatly expanded our knowledge," the institutions in charge of exploring the wreck said in a statement, CBS News reported.
The robotic exploration lasted from May 23 to June 1. The wreck's location has been kept secret to dissuade treasure hunters. Authorities have claimed that the area of the wreck is so huge that it covers more than 40 professional soccer fields in terms of area.
"Although a concentration of archaeological remains was detected in 2022 in the area of the shipwreck, the recent exploration has allowed (researchers) to characterize these accumulations in more detail and to discover new isolated elements," the statement from the institution added, CBS News reported.
Alhena Caicedo, Director, of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, is hopeful that the discovery of these new items will help experts garner more information about the past.
"It’s extremely important, not only because of the gold and emeralds and silver but because of the history it has aboard. It’s a time capsule," explained Daniel De Narvaez, a nautical historian in Colombia, Fox13 reported.
The wreck has also had an impact on its environment, as per authorities. Species such as dorsal finless sharks and swordfish about 2,000 feet below the surface have used the wreck as shelter and source of food.
"The sinking has created a dynamic and living ecosystem on the seabed, providing shelter and food for diverse forms of marine life," the statement said. CBS News reported.
In May 2024, Colombia declared the wreckage site a "protected archeological area". The declaration means that the cultural ministry will take the responsibility of preserving the site for further research and conservation activities.
Following the discovery of the galleon, many parties have laid claim to the wreckage and treasures present within it. Spain laid a claim on the wreckage as per the conditions of a UN convention, in which Colombia was not a participant. Indigenous Qhara Qhara Bolivians have also raised demands for the treasure claiming that the Spanish stole from them.