A sunken 18th century Spanish galleon is famous for its cache of 11 million gold and silver coins that is worth an estimated $20bn (£16bn) — earning it the title of the ‘holy grail of shipwrecks’. The San José was sunk by the British in 1708 near Cartagena, Colombia. Now, a Colombian mission to salvage the wreck has retrieved its first artifacts. (Picture: Reuters/Colombian Government TV)
What was San José?
The San José was a Spanish ship that was carrying at least 200 tonnes of gold, silver, gems, jewellery and other treasures collected in Spain’s South American colonies that were being shipped to King Philip V to finance his war of succession against the British. At the time, Spain and Britain were fighting the War of the Spanish Succession The treasure went down with the ship and only 11 of its 600 sailors survived. However, there has been a long custody battle over the ship between the Spanish and Colombian government, as well as the United States, over who has the rights to the loot. (Picture: Reuters/Colombian Government TV)
So, what came from the wreck?
The idea is to examine the wreck in stages. The first phase of the research project was a study of the distribution of objects and the remains of the ship’s structure on the seabed, while leaving it undisturbed by human activity. Then the next step seeks to delve deeper and conduct a direct analysis of the archaeological objects, which will hopefully allow stabilisation of the findings so they can adapt to the change when leaving the water. (Picture: Reuters/Colombian Government TV)
The exact location of the ship is a state secret, but divers recovered a cannon, three macuquinas (coins), and two fragments of porcelain. They will be used to conduct archaeological studies that will help researchers answer questions related to the research project, such as origin, chronology and production technologies, in a move Colombia’s culture ministry said is dedicated to the expedition. (Picture: Reuters/Colombian Government TV)
The Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History said: ‘Each of the archaeological objects collected from the shipwreck opens up the possibilities of discovering more aspects of the history of the San José galleon. The direct study of the macuquinas, the porcelain cups, the cannon and the sediment remains associated with these objects will allow us to delve deeper into aspects of the investigation.’ (Picture: Reuters/Colombian Government TV)
Yannai Kadamani Fonrodona, Minister of Cultures, Arts, and Knowledge, said: ‘This historic event demonstrates the strengthening of the Colombian State’s technical, professional, and technological capabilities to protect and promote underwater cultural heritage, as part of Colombian identity and history.’ (Picture: Reuters/Colombian Government TV)
The Colombian government is also investigating the cause of the ship’s sinking, and has suggested it could have sunk for reasons other than an explosion, including damage to the hull. The team is also analysing fragments of wood, rope, and sediment from the cannon in hopes to learn more about how and why the San José galleon sank as its demise has never been proven with physical evidence. (Picture: Reuters/Colombian Government TV)
