The discovery of a ship in a southwest African desert that went missing five centuries ago, with gold coins on board, is one of the most exciting archaeological finds in recent years.
On Friday, March 7, 1533, a Portuguese vessel set sail from Lisbon. It vanished until 2008, when its remains were found during diamond mining in Namibia’s desert near the coast.
A powerful storm had capsized the ship as it was heading towards India, taking treasures like copper and gold ingots with it. Onboard, they found two thousand pure gold coins and tens of thousands of pounds of copper ingots, almost all intact.
The ship, discovered in the desert, had a substantial cargo alongside the cash. Dr. Noli, the principal archaeologist at the Southern Africa Institute of Maritime Archaeological Research, said, “Finding a shipwreck is not unexpected, as storms have recently been known to hit the shoreline.”
However, after just one week of digging, a treasure chest full of gold was found. The coins inside showed it was a Portuguese ship that had disappeared in 1533. It’s believed the ship sank during a storm off the coast of Namibia, hitting a rock and capsizing. As the sea levels receded, it reappeared in the desert.
Except for a few bone fragments, the ship’s condition suggests a powerful storm caused the disaster. The lack of human remains implies most of the crew either drowned or managed to escape.
“It adds new meaning to the concept of the ship having been loaded with gold,” Dr. Noli told News Com, Australia.
Further investigation revealed bronze bowls and cannons among the finds. Dr. Noli’s team also discovered metal shards indicating a shipwreck hidden in the sand, along with a musket they estimated to be at least 500 years old.
They found cannons, swords, astrological instruments, compasses, and even a time capsule. Silver coins were also uncovered.
Dr. Noli and other experts believe the ship was sailing from Lisbon, Portugal, around the southern tip of Africa, towards Western India. Similar Portuguese ships with the same cargo often followed this route.
The ship, known as the Bom Jesus, is now the most valuable and ancient shipwreck ever discovered off the Western coast of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The area where the ship was found is called Sperrgebiet, or “forbidden territory,” due to the many German prospectors searching for diamonds there.
The site, a collaborative effort between the Namibian government and the diamond company DeBeers, remains mostly buried and protected by mining security. Only a select few have access to it. There’s been talk of a museum, but it’s uncertain if it will happen.
What do you think about this incredible discovery?
