1.2.2008 There was gold in the shipwreck

Thirteen years ago, miners discovered a shipwreck in the Namibian desert. Inside was a 500-year-old treasure. The Portuguese ship was filled with gold coins. Initial estimates put their value at around nine million pounds.

The discovery is being recalled by the English media. Scientists have already managed to establish the identity of the ship. It was called the Bom Jesus and sailed from Lisbon in 1533. She disappeared with her entire crew on board near the Namibian mining town of Oranjemund. The ship was on its way to India before it was wrecked. It was finally discovered five hundred years later.

We also wrote about the discovery of the ship here: Gold Coin Shipwreck

The vessel was found in a hole where there used to be a lagoon full of water. The miners found it in 2008, but it wasn't until eight years later that archaeologists discovered the gold. Six days among the bones and navigational instruments paid off. The shoreline where the ship was found is nicknamed Sperrgebiet, which means "forbidden zone" in German.

Professor Timothy Insoll, who specialises in African archaeology, spoke of the many fascinating artefacts found in the wreck, including coins and pottery. "This is really a very significant find. It's not just the gold, but also other items discovered such as religious artifacts and clothing that can give us a fascinating insight into what our ancestors considered important," Insoll said.

In the 16th century, Portuguese sailors were close to discovering the New World. But historical sources don't really describe what their daily lives were like. "Thanks to new discoveries, we can learn more about what they ate, for example. This can be found by analysing the bones. Although the headlines talked about the discovery of gold, the other artefacts found are also very important," Insoll said.

Well-known Portuguese maritime archaeologist Franciso Alves in 2009 rated the find as incredible. His colleague, Dieter Noli, tried to piece together the last moments before the shipwreck. He believes a severe winter storm was fatal to the crew.

"It's no joke. Even in the area where the ship wrecked, such storms occur. They were really nasty. Sometimes the wind was blowing at speeds of more than 120 kilometres per hour. Getting to safety on shore was almost impossible," Noli stated.

Sources: www.express.co.uk, www.ccn.com