New findings from the legendary Spanish ship San Jose have come to light, the Colombian government has announced, following the first robotic exploration of the three-century-old shipwreck.
Also called the “Holy Grail” of shipwrecks, the San José was owned by the Spanish monarchy when it was sunk by the British Navy in 1708, near Cartagena. Of the 600-strong crew (it was a galleon, to be precise), only a handful survived.
In February, the Colombian government announced that it would begin recovering parts of the ship from the Caribbean coast.
Since then, it has been speculated that the wreck contains treasures of up to about 17 million tons. Billions of dollars.
«The excavation results revealed unprecedented archaeological discoveries, greatly expanding our knowledge.” The concerned agencies announced in their statement.
The wreckage was explored with the help of robots.
San Jose wreck site secret
The exact location of the wreckage has been a secret since 2015, from May 23 to May 1.or June, while its area is equal to «More than 40 football fields».
«Although as of 2022, archaeological finds at the wreck site have been identified, its careful exploration has made possible a detailed characterization of the collections and the discovery of individual items. The statement says.
The treasure has been found.
Among the newly discovered findings of the ship is one Anchor and its cargo parts such as jugs and glass bottlesIn 2022, the Colombian Navy carried out four exploration missions with high-tech equipment to determine the condition of the wreck.
The images captured depict, among other things, Cast iron cannons, pieces of porcelain and pottery, and objects apparently made of gold.
“There is a possibility that discovering new results will deepen the knowledge we already have.” Alhena Caicedo, director of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, explains.
Discovering the biological wealth of the seabed
Excavations also revealed “Biodiversity of the Seabed”Near the wreck, according to the statement, species such as a finless basking shark and a swordfish are pictured at a depth of 6,096 metres below sea level.
«H “The submergence has created a vibrant and dynamic ecosystem on the seafloor, providing shelter and food for a variety of marine life.” The relevant advertisement states.
According to the Colombian government, this is the first exploration ““Raises questions about the exact causes of the sinking.”
Why is the kitchen flooded?
British documents indicate that the ship was involved in an accident.internal explosionThe Colombian government says that may have caused the ship to sink with its treasures and hundreds of passengers.
On the other hand, Spanish accounts depict a battle. The ship was heading from the New World (America), to the court of King Philip V of Spain, and was filled with treasures such as emerald chests and about 200 tons of gold coins.
Three claimants to the wreck
Before the Colombian government announced the discovery in 2014, the ship had been the subject of research by adventurous explorers.
At a United Nations conference (of which Colombia was not a member), Spain claimed the ship and its contents, while the indigenous Qara Qara people of Bolivia claimed the treasures had been stolen from them.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro is determined to save the wreckage for science and culture, a €4.122 billion project.
The wreck is also claimed by US-based salvage company Sea Search Armada, which insists it was the first to discover it more than 40 years ago and which has taken Colombia to the UN’s International Court of Arbitration, claiming €9.158 billion.
In May, the Colombian government declared the wreck site a “protected archaeological site.”
According to the Colombian Ministry of Culture, the appointment “Ensures the protection of heritage” with “Long-term preservation of the vessel and development of its research, maintenance and evaluation activities.
The exact location of the shipwreck remains a secret in order to protect one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history from antiquities theft.
In June 2022, Colombia said a remotely operated vehicle reached a depth of 900 metres below the sea surface and took new images of the wreck.
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