Most Significant Shipwrecks
Archaeologists take it as a very important discovery and believe that this shipwreck is the oldest one that has been found on the sub-Saharan African coast. Not only that, according to them, it is also the most important shipwrecks. The miners excavated astrological tools, swords, cannon, time capsules, and compasses.
Astonishing Discovery
The company itself was at a loss of words. A spokesperson said, “The site yielded a wealth of objects including six bronze cannon, several tons of copper, more than 50 elephant tusks, pewter tableware, navigational instruments, weapons and thousands of Spanish and Portuguese gold coins, minted in the late 1400s and early 1500s,”
The Bom Jesus?
Although there is no surety, it is believed that this vessel could be The Bom Jesus – “The Good Jesus.” The aforementioned ship got missing sometime around this ship went stranded. According to popular belief, The Bom Jesus went missing on the African coast. It was a Portuguese ship headed to India but was never seen sailing beyond the Southern Atlantic.
Things Responsible
According to the theory postulated by Noli, the heavy cargo on the ship and poor weather surrounding the ship forced the captain to come with a decision. So he decided to sail the ship towards the shore. The captain rolls out the anchor and began steering the ship towards the land. However, things got worse when it collided with a blinder.
Memorias Das Armadas
A book from 16th-century named “Memorias Das Armadas,” sheds some light on the content of the vessel. According to that, the vessel had a cargo on it that was filled with gold and many other valuable articles. Historians believe that it was dated sometime between 1525 and 1538.
In Six Days
Noli reminisces, “I had been preaching to them [the miners] for a dozen years that ‘one day’ they would find a shipwreck, and to let me know when they do. I knew that we had a ship from the early 16th century and that there would be a lot to find in very good nick. As luck would have it, we found the treasure chest on day six.”