Not the Smithsonian, not the Louvre, not the British. The largest museum of art and history on the planet is probably located in the oceans, meters from the surface where sunken galleons have sat for centuries. The Gulf of Cadiz leaves a magnificent example. In 2015, the Center for Underwater Archeology (CAS) estimated that there were approximately 1,500 sites off the coast of Cádiz and Huelva, of which 900 were still waiting to be discovered. There are even those who calculate that there is more gold stored in the Bank of Spain in the Gulf of Cadiz. Now Cádiz is preparing to save one of the jewels of the 17th century.

Those responsible already say that the operation “has no precedent in Spain”, but above all they hope that it will help clarify two big riddles: a better understanding of how ships were built in the 17th century and the identity of the Cádiz wreck.

DELTA 1’s surprise. In early 2011, while dredging the Port of Cádiz and laying the foundations for a new container terminal, workers came across a structure that should not have been there: a wreck, the submerged remains of an old ship. The technicians, named DELTA 1, had carried out archaeological studies in the region before starting the work, but “it could not be detected” in the first examinations “due to the very thick mud layer” that buried the ship. clarifies.

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But… Which ship is this? That’s what experts want to know, hoping to “identify which ship it is” and “provide as much information as possible” about its history. In the process, they hope to obtain new data about how ships were built four centuries ago. Until then, all we knew about DELTA 1 was that it was from the 17th century, that it had an Atlantic building structure, and that its plan, which was the lowest area, was basically preserved. “In particular, there is room for a total length of 20 meters and a width of approximately seven or eight meters,” the board states. In addition to its structure, the shipwreck also has its own treasure.

Full of relics… and silver. The Andalusian Junta insists on the “historical significance and heritage value” of the remains of the wreck, which years ago included 27 Swedish Finbanker iron cannons from the 17th and 18th centuries, 22 silver ingots from the Oruro mines. Potosí, modern-day Bolivia and a bronze campaign where you can read ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph 1671’.

He recalls that archaeologists made more than 400 dives in the waters of Cadiz between May and July 2013 to examine the galleon, excavate its interior and extract all the archaeological material preserved within. Digital Audio. Experts also identified “elements of life on board” such as remains of ceramics, glass or animal bones. Similar remains in Galicia allowed the CSIC to decipher what they ate on 16th-century ships.

A wandering wreck. After examining the wreck in detail in November 2012, those responsible for the Port of Cádiz concluded: it had to be moved. Therefore, they decided to move the ship’s remains to an area closer to the study, with a shallower draft and better visibility, which would make examining the remains easier. While it was at a depth of 12 to 16 meters, it was now at a point of 5.5 metres. The problem is that the new place where it is stored is the site of the 2nd stage of the New Container Terminal, which has just come into operation.

Conclusion: “It needs to be transferred,” they accept. On this occasion, the destination will be around Pier 5. There it will be removed from the water and transported to a “nearby area” prepared to accommodate the remains of the old ship without damaging it.

“Unprecedented in Spain”. According to a statement from the port, “The remains will rest on a bed of sand and earthbags approximately 10-20 centimeters thick. A dense geotextile will be placed underneath to prevent sand loss, thus creating a complete stabilization system.” From Cádiz: “All debris will be under a 20 x 25 meter tent with a system to keep the debris moist to prevent it from drying out and subsequently deteriorating.”

This lifting mission, to remove the ship from the sea and place it on a sand bed protected by a tent, in a controlled environment to prevent its deterioration, represents “an unprecedented operation in Spain”, the Port of Cádiz claims.

Purpose: solve the mystery. The operation will allow technicians at the Center for Underwater Archeology to comprehensively examine the wreck: they will document parts of the wreck, disassemble it in layers, and scan and take samples of all wood fragments to date them, among other things. “The dismantled parts will be kept in seawater pools and a 3D modeling of the preserved part of the ship will be made,” said Cadiz port, adding: “An attempt will be made to identify which ship it is through documentary.”

Your final destination: sea. But the final destination of the wreckage will not be that tent, nor any museum in Andalusia or the rest of Spain. The report prepared by the Ministry of Ports and Tourism, Culture and Sports clarified what will be done after the work is completed: The dismantled parts will be left in seawater pools and technicians will be responsible for 3D modeling. Preserved part of the ship. “It will be placed in wooden structures and the entire complex will be anchored in the vicinity of Punta de San Felipe and will be covered with a reversible and perfectly georeferenced fill,” the board said.

There is an explanation for why the wreckage did not remain in the museum. IAPH’s CAS president Milagros Alzaga said recently: Cadiz Newspaper It was stated that the 12 to 14 meters of wood that made up the wreck would be “difficult to stabilize and museumize”. “There are not even sufficient techniques, and we do not know whether the techniques that can be used will guarantee how long the ship will be protected.”

History… and investments. DELTA 1’s plans are in line with UNESCO recommendations. Apart from the wrecks being transported to museums, there are also precedents that give an idea of ​​the complexity and huge cost of choosing this option. The Mary Rose, on display in Portsmouth, England, required decades of stabilization work and a million-dollar investment.

Cadiz Bay Port Authority assures that it has already invested 2.6 million euros in the recovery of the historical heritage in the last 13 years and that the last contract has been signed with Diversship for the examination of the wreck site and the research of the necessary tools, including bathymetry. Close to 544,000 euros.

One (more) gem of the wonderful museum. While we wait for the secrets that DELTA 1 can reveal to us, one thing is clear: its wreck is just one of the many historical jewels found under the waters of Andalusia. In 2010, in the first month of its operation in cooperation with CAS, the Spanish Navy detected nearly a hundred possible wrecks in the Gulf of Cádiz. At the time, the Department of Defense acknowledged that at this point alone, it was estimated that 500 to 800 of the more than 3,000 wrecks it claimed were scattered along the coast of Spain.

“Mostly ships, but they can also be aircraft, submarines or human settlements,” the executive said. In 2105, CAS also noted the existence of hundreds of shipwrecks that were still undiscovered, the remains of which were found off the coast of Cádiz and Huelva. “We used a very small portion of the documentary sources,” the organization said at the time.

Image | Wikipedia

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