DIVERS in Portugal have found a 400-year-old shipwreck that has been described as "the discovery of the decade".
The team believe the ship that once sailed the spice route between Europe and India was returning from the subcontinent when it sank sometime between 1575 and 1625.
Peppercorns, fragments of Chinese porcelain from the late 16th and early 17th centuries, as well as bronze cannons were all found among the sunken remains near Cascais, close to the country’s capital Lisbon.
The wreck site, which sits about 40ft below the surface, is about 330ft long and 165ft wide.
Project director Jorge Freire told Reuters that the wreck was very well-preserved.
He said: "From a heritage perspective, this is the discovery of the decade.
“[It’s] the most important find of all time [for the country].”
Finding wrecks off the Portuguese coast is very rare, especially when the objects are this well preserved.
The teams say the discovery will shed light on both Portugal’s trading past and Cascais’ place within it.
Freire added: “We found the ship on September 4 using a geophysical survey and divers, and spent four days working on the site.”
The ship was found while dredging the mouth of the Tagus river, which runs past the resort town and through Lisbon.
The mayor of Cascais Carlos Carreiras described the discovery as one of the most significant archaeological finds of the past decade, the Guardian reported.
He said that although the cargo ship had yet to be identified, it could prove significant to the town.
The mayor said: “It’s an extraordinary discovery that allows us to know more about our history, reinforcing our collective identity and shared values.
“That, in turn, will certainly make us more attractive and competitive.”
Minister of Culture Luis Mendes said: "For a long time, specialists have considered the mouth of the Tagus River a hotspot for shipwrecks.
"This discovery came to prove it."
The ship was found as part of a 10-year-old archaeological project backed by the town of Cascais, the Portuguese Government and navy, and Nova University of Lisbon.
No comments