26.2.2009 18th century corvette with cannons

The remains of an eighteenth-century Spanish ship were discovered by construction workers. This happened thirteen years ago near the banks of the La Plata River in the Puerto Madero district of Buenos Aires, where the port used to be. The vessel was wrecked here 300 years ago.

In the same week, archaeologists discovered the remains of a well-known café from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in the Argentine capital. The discovery of the ark was another success...

The remains of the Spanish ship were found near the banks of the La Plata River in the Puerto Madero district, where the port used to be located. Archaeologist Marcelo Weissel commented on the discovery at the time. He said that the ship probably dates from the eighteenth century. However, he did not rule out the possibility that the ship could be a century older.

"We assume that it is a Spanish galleon of around 1700. So far, several cannons have been found, jugs that we think were used to preserve olive oil and remains of wood from the galleon," said archaeologist Gonzalo Valenzuela.

The hull was under seven metres of mud. It was probably a Spanish warship that had been driven ashore by a heavy storm. The ship ran aground, making it an easy target for looting the valuables on board. That's why the experts didn't expect to find any valuables from the ship.

The remains of the galleon were found in the marshes during landscaping work for the parking lot. During the unearthing of the ship, archaeologists found several cannons and clay vessels that probably carried olive oil. The final resting place of the ship was found in an Argentine museum.

The sunken galleon was also discovered seven years ago by Colombians. Specifically, they found the wreck of the Spanish galleon San José, which sank off the coast of Cartagena more than 300 years ago. Experts say it was carrying a cargo of emeralds, gold and silver coins.

Thanks to exploratory submarines, it was possible to take photos of the well-preserved bronze cannons embossed with dolphins, which left no doubt about the identity of the discovered vessel.

Details of the discovery of the wreck remained a state secret. The ship sank somewhere in the vast area of sea around Colombia's Baru Peninsula, south of Cartagena.

Sources:
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