Archaeologists identify two shipwrecks as being former slave ships: ‘Very convincing’

Archaeologists lately made a shocking discovery: they found that two 18th-century shipwrecks off the coast of Central America have been truly two Danish slave ships.

The ships, known as Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, are situated in shallow waters of Cahuita Nationwide Park in Costa Rica. In keeping with the Nationwide Museum of Denmark, the 18th-century ships have been drawn in 1710 shipwreck.

“Fridericus Quartus was on hearth, whereas Christianus Quintus had reduce his anchor rope, after which the ship was destroyed within the surf,” famous the museum’s press launch. “Till now it has not been precisely clear the place the ships have been misplaced.”

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Pictures present divers who rigorously study the shipwreck that exhibits indicators of appreciable decline of the previous 315 years.

Though the ships have been dug up in 2023, researchers didn’t know that they have been slave ships till lately. The ships have been thought of pirate ships for a very long time.

Divers lately revealed the findings of an excavation of two Danish slave ships, Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus. The ships have been thought of pirate ships for a very long time. (Jakob Olling / Nationwide Museum of Denmark)

The excavation partly involved taking samples from the wooden of the ships, in addition to yellow stones that have been a part of the ship of the ship.

Researchers additionally carried out dendrochronological analyzes to find out Boomring-Om the place the wooden got here from. They found that it got here from North Europe.

“The wooden comes from the western a part of the Baltic Sea, an space that features the Noordoost German province of Mecklenburg, in addition to Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark and Scania and that the tree was reduce down someplace within the 1690-1695,” stated the discharge.

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“The wooden can be charred and sooty, which confirms what historic sources say about one of many ships that’s set on hearth.”

Divers additionally discovered clay pipes, which describes the museum as “peculiar, Dutch -produced pipes that have been additionally used on board Danish ships.”

“This gives two items which might be lacking.”

“The scale, form and patterns of the pipes recommend that they have been produced within the interval simply earlier than the ships have been destroyed in 1710,” the press launch added. “Clay pipes have been not often used for greater than 5 years.”

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Pictures additionally present the exceptional yellow stones that survived the shipwreck that have been produced in Flensburg “to be used in Denmark and within the Danish colonies within the 18th and nineteenth centuries.”

Researchers found that the yellow clay bricks got here from the shipwreck from Denmark. (Jakob Olling / Nationwide Museum of Denmark)

“In different European international locations, different forms of bricks and stones have been modern when new buildings have been based,” the museum stated.

“The clay comes from Denmark – very particularly from Iller Strand or Egernsund,” added the reason.

“Each areas have been situated by Flensburg Fjord, which was house to a substantial brick trade within the 18th century.”

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After samples from the excavation have been analyzed within the Nationwide Museum of Denmark and the College of South Denmark, researchers concluded that the findings confirmed what historic sources say concerning the historical past of the ships.

David Gregory, a navy archaeologist within the Nationwide Museum of Denmark, stated that the outcomes “completely” match with historic stories over one of many burning ships.

Archaeologists carried out wooden relationship analyzes concerning the stays of the shipwreck to find out the age. (Jakob Olling / Nationwide Museum of Denmark)

“The analyzes are very convincing and we not doubt that these are the wrecks of the 2 Danish slave ships,” stated Gregory.

“The stones are Danish and the identical applies to the wooden, which can be carved and sooty of a hearth. This suits completely with the historic stories that state that one of many burned ships.”

“We not doubt that these are the wrecks of the 2 Danish slave ships.”

Nationwide Museum of Denmark Marine -Archeologist Andreas Kallmeyer Bloch stated that he would “come shut” through the lengthy analysis course of – however is amazed by the outcomes.

“That is undoubtedly the craziest archaeological excavation that I nonetheless made half,” stated Bach.

Danish researchers at the moment are positive that the shipwrecks have been as soon as two slave ships. (John Fhær Engedal Nissen / Nationwide Museum of Denmark)

“Not solely as a result of it’s a lot necessary for the locals, but additionally as a result of it is among the most dramatic shipwrecks within the historical past of Denmark, and now we all know precisely the place it occurred.”

“This gives two items which might be lacking within the historical past of Denmark.”

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Fox Information Digital reached the Nationwide Museum of Denmark for added info.