The Delta I wreck is revealing its secrets to us. Little by little, important unknowns such as its origin, the route it followed before sinking in the Gulf of Cádiz four centuries ago or its real name are still pending; but clearly. After recovering it from the seabed at the end of July, the Center for Underwater Archaeology has been studying its remains in detail for weeks to uncover a story that already leaves some fascinating revelations. For example, we now know that the Delta I was a huge ship, much larger than expected, prepared for transatlantic voyages before it capsized off the coast of Andalusia.

Experts say the wreck, refloated in Cádiz, provides a “unique opportunity” to learn how ships were built four centuries ago.

What is Delta I? A window into the past. And a unique opportunity to better understand what mid-17th-century ships looked like and were made of. “Delta I” is the name given by archaeologists to a wreck of unknown origin and identity that was found more than a decade ago during dredging operations in the Port of Cádiz. Until then, its remains had been hidden under the mud of the bay and were not visible to surveys.

The find was extraordinary. Among the remains, archaeologists found iron balls, silver ingots from the mines of Oruro and Potosí, a bronze bell with the inscription “Jesus, Mary and Joseph 1671”, ceramic fragments, animal bones, glass… Over time, the wreckage ended its upward “journey”. First, they moved the body to a nearby area, where they reached a point 5.5 m deep. And just a few months ago, in July, we came ashore after refloating it to facilitate examination.

I wash the Delta before cleaning it.

“A unique opportunity.” This statement comes from the Junta of Andalusia, to which the Center for Underwater Archaeology (CAS) is affiliated. A few days ago, the Minister of Culture and Sports visited the tent where archaeologists are working to clear and thoroughly examine the wreckage, where there are great expectations. Experts hope that this will give us clues to better understand how ships were manufactured in the mid-17th century. “This is the first time in Spain that the remains of a ship from this period have been studied outside the water,” said consultant Patricia del Pozo.

To make the most of the opportunity, experts are examining the remains in detail. During the first month of work, it requires: Voice of CádizDrones were used to record the condition of the wreckage. The next stages focused on cleaning and removing the iron and stone blocks that stabilized the ship.

The researchers’ aim is to create virtual, 3D and physical digital twins of the ship at different scales. Wood and molluscs attached to the structure will also be examined, and some pieces will even be studied at Trinity Saint David University in Wales. All with the aim of learning as much as possible about the history of the Delta I.

Have they learned anything yet? Yes, archaeologists already knew some important data about Delta I. For example, they dated it to the 17th century and described it as an Atlantic structure. The plan of the ship was basically preserved; the lowest area is about 20 meters long and 7 meters wide. However, after their latest research, archaeologists concluded that the entire structure was much larger and could have exceeded 50 meters in length.

“Almost miraculously, the central part of the oak base, which is more than 20 metres long, has been preserved, but studies already confirm this.” “The ship was of a larger size and could have exceeded 50 meters in length, it was probably built for long-distance sailing,” according to a statement from the Andalusian government.

How big was it? “There’s 7 meters missing at the keel, another 20 meters missing at the stern,” he explains. Country CAS President Milagros Alzaga: “In the remains recovered from the Gulf, remains are still visible that help to obtain a more precise idea of ​​the structure of the boat, such as the position of the main mast or what its hold was like. With all the available data, the expert points to a solid ship capable of carrying cargo and crossing the oceans.”

“You can see a very large hold, almost without curves, which can accommodate a large amount of equipment and supplies. The plan also tells us that we are looking at the Atlantic construction of a very robust ship. The ship’s ribs are very close together, which tells us that the ship was prepared for transoceanic navigation.” Experts from CAS, CIS and Wales, Lisbon and Alicante, who participated in the study, agree: “This was no ordinary ship.”

What does the board say?. There’s more, make it clear Voice of Cádizrefers to the location of unfinished artillery pieces, iron shells for cannons, and pieces of guayacan wood originating in the Americas. This is an interesting clue, Alzaga explains, because the material was valued for two reasons: its durability, which made it a particularly valuable resource in the manufacture of certain parts of boats; and its medicinal uses, which were valued at the time to treat syphilis or rheumatism. Experts have also detected pitch and esparto in the wood.

“On the outer lining, right at the bottom, a sacrificial lining was found, which had a double function: to protect the entire bottom of the ship from any impact and also to protect the outer lining from a type of xylophagus, a worm that lives in warm waters, feeds on wood and bores into it, creating channels, posing a danger to the boat,” adds Alzaga.

Details that tell a lot. They may seem like small problems, but they say more than they seem at first glance. For example, the square-section iron nail that the experts identified shows that there was no shortage of money during the construction of the ship. Why? This option was more expensive than the other alternatives. What seemed scarce was wood, which would force them to use planks from other ships.

Long journeys… What about knife games? There were also signs discovered on one of the oak planks that seem to tell us about people playing tic-tac-toe, or a riskier distraction that is associated in the collective imagination with ancient pirates: place your hand on a hard surface, such as a piece of wood, and thrust a knife between your fingers as quickly as possible.

“There are some markings made by the carpenters or crew of the galleon, reminiscent of a tic-tac-toe board, as well as a circle and letters or numbers (if it could be the Roman alphabet) ‘V’ and ‘V’ and ‘X’,” the Andalusian Junta explains. “Elsewhere, there are small triangular marks attributed to dangerous knife play or the ‘five-finger steak’, in which the tip is passed quickly between the fingers with the risk of causing injury.”

Is there any work left? Too much. The current phase is not over yet, and experts estimate that months of work remain in the laboratory and archives. After making the most of it, Delta I will return to the sea, where it will anchor in a perfectly positioned area. It may seem like a strange solution, but the consultant argues that this was done with the preservation of the remains in mind.

“We do not yet have the techniques necessary to ensure and ensure the preservation of this wreck outside the water. Until such techniques for dry conservation emerge in the future, the pieces will be preserved under the sea.”

The unknowns. His work still needs to solve important unknowns. And not just the secrets of how ships were built in the 17th century. Experts want to know the keys to the great mystery of Delta I: What kind of ship was it? What happened to the muddy bottom of the Gulf of Cadiz? When did it capsize? What caused it? Where did it come from? Where was it going? We already know that we are dealing with a huge 50-meter ship.

Images | Wikipedia, Andalusian Junta 1 and 2

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