Around the world shipwrecks litter the ocean floor. These hulking forms of transportation have either succumbed to harsh weather or the aggression of their enemies. When their remains are discovered, whether it is an ancient Greek vessel or the titanic, the past once again comes alive, and mysteries that may have stayed unanswered are finally solved. Listed below are 4 shipwrecks that helped us better understand the culture of earlier civilizations.
Captain Morgan's Shipwreck
Many may be surprised to learn Captain Morgan, the extremely iconic face of Captain Morgan rum, was a privateer that sailed the seas with 5 of his very own ships during the 17th century. In 2010, one of the Captain's ships was discovered on the sea floor near Panama City. As divers explored the wreckage, among other artifacts they uncovered 6 canons that they believe were once part of the captain's ship.
The SS Republic
The SS Republic sank in 1865 while traveling to New Orleans from New York. The steamship's cargo consisted of a large amount of silver and gold coins when it was taken down by a hurricane on October 25. Luckily the ships passengers were able to escape the destruction. In 2003, the shipwreck was uncovered by the Odyssey Marine Exploration team. Among the numerous coins that were recovered, a considerable number of artifacts from the Civil War-era were also unearthed.
Roman Cargo Ship
In 2011, 300 extremely well preserved wine jugs were discovered when a shipwreck was found off of Albania's coast. The ship dates back to the 1st century B.C and is believed to have been transporting wine from the Albanian vineyards to western European Markets. Unfortunately, due to a lack of stoppers, no wine was found in any of the jugs.
Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes
In 2007, Odyssey Marine Exploration once again discovered a mysterious shipwreck. This time the wreckage was located off of Portugal’s Atlantic coast and is believed to be the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, a Spanish cargo vessel which sank in 1804. The salvage team recovered numerous artifacts and coins.If model ships are one of your passions, please contact us today to view our large assortment of nautical themed items.