Happiness has fallen in: a 500-year-old ship with $ 13 million worth of gold was found in the desert
Namibian diamond miners stumbled upon the wreckage of a 500-year-old ship in the desert near the coast. The Portuguese ship Bom Jesus ("Good Jesus") disappeared in 1533 on its way to India. Found under a very impressive layer of sand, the vessel rested on the site of an ancient man-made sea lagoon, which has now turned into a salt lake. Gold and silver coins were found in the hold, as well as many elephant tusks. The total value of the goods is estimated at more than $ 13 million.
(5 photos in total)
The ship was found by diamond miners after draining one of the salt lakes near the Skeleton Coast. From time to time ships are found in these places, but the Portuguese cargo ship is the oldest of all found and the only one whose cargo is of such value.
Objects found on the ship, with a shovel for understanding the scale: an astrolabe (in the center), a frying pan and some pottery. Things are well preserved.
Prayer beads and a silver Portuguese coin.
The Namibian government will appropriate the treasure found on the ship to itself. "This is a normal practice when sunken ships are found near the coast. If the vessel sailed under the flag of a certain country, the valuables found in it must be transferred to its legal successor. However, in this case, the Portuguese government very generously gave up this right," says archaeologist Dieter Noli. In the photo: Dieter demonstrates how the astrolabe, the predecessor of the sextant, was used.
A lot of Spanish, Portuguese and Venetian gold coins, ivory from West Africa, German copper ingots, weapons and, of course, skeletons were found in the holds.
This model makes it possible to imagine what Bom Jesus might have looked like during his voyage to India back in 1533.
Keywords: Archaeology | Gold | Treasure | Shipwreck | Ship | Namibia | Portugal | Excavation | Silver