Builders dig up 17th-century galleon in Argentina

[Dennis Donovan]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/31/spanish-galleon-buenos-aires

Mayor of Buenos Aires prays for gold as archaeologists raise Spanish vessel found while building apartment block

Giles Tremlett

Wednesday 31 December 2008 15.32 GMT



Construction workers excavating the foundations of a luxury apartment block overlooking the river Plate in Buenos Aires may have dug up something far more valuable than what they are building.

The workmen uncovered the well-preserved remains of a 17th-century Spanish galleon, one of thousands that carried goods across the Atlantic when Argentina was a Spanish colony.

Eight metres of silt had covered and conserved the galleon in the 300 years since it sank or was abandoned by colonists.

At that time the exclusive Puerto Madero neighbourhood of the Argentinian capital was just a beach on the shores of the Plate. "The galleon was buried under Puerto Madero, in the sedimentation of a beach where many ships used to arrive centuries ago," explained city hall officials.

Five large cannons and a cannonball were among the first objects found by archaeologists who joined the workmen to excavate the site properly.

Speculation that the galleon may be carrying treasure is rife in Buenos Aires, with even the mayor, Mauricio Macri, praying for a find. "I hope there is a great treasure trove on board," he joked. "That way we can pay for many more public works."

So far, however, the only objects dug up apart from the cannons are ropes and old jars of olive oil. The galleon appears to have sunk as it was trying to reach the port at Buenos Aires.
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Cool - I love stuff like this...

[Rhiannon12866]

1. This is fascinating! What a find!

I'd love to see the actual ship, hope they attempt to preserve it, if they can... :woohoo:




Argentine builders 'strike oil'

Construction workers in Argentina have struck oil - of the olive variety - as they unearthed a colonial-era Spanish ship believed to be 250 years old.

The galleon was discovered as workers dug the foundations of a block of flats in the old port area of Buenos Aires.

Two large jars found inside the ship seem to indicate that it had transported olive oil.

Experts believe the as-yet unidentified vessel was an 18th Century warship driven ashore by a storm.

It was subsequently buried under 7m (21ft) of mud.

No gold

Archaeologist Gonzalo Valenzuela said the vessel was probably from the 1700s.

"So far, it has yielded several cannons, a pair of jugs we think were used to carry olive oil, and timber from the ship," Mr Valenzuela told reporters at the digs in Puerto Madero, the AFP news agency reported.
While precious, the ship's contents are not thought to include gold

But he said there was unlikely to be any gold or other treasure on board as locals would have probably plundered the vessel after it ran aground near the shoreline.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7805549.stm

[Dennis Donovan]

7. I laughed when I read about the olive oil...

My first thought was Genco Olive Oil...;)

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Of course it was... That else?! ;)

My first thought was whether the olive oil was useable.... Typical... :silly: :rofl:

[SoCalDem]

2. The National Geographic website has video of it

I watched it there last night, along with many other really cool things they have on their site..

they have foreign music videos, and all kinds of neat stuff..
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Thanks for the links! I'd really like to see this one...

I've watched the "Dog Whisperer" videos on NG... :hi:

[Dennis Donovan]

8. Thanks for the video link, SoCalDem!

:hi:

[Jamastiene]

3. I love ships. Fascinating. K&R

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Kick for the night crowd!

:hi::kick:

[Starry Messenger]

6. Oh that is cool.

I'm a little tired now to read the whole thing, so I'll hold my place here for later.