More important was the discovery of rare braided-wire torque bracelets dating back to 1300 and 1100 B.C., making them some of the oldest treasure finds in that part of the U.K. During the reign of French King Louie XIV in the 17th century, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, was sent on a sailing expedition across the ocean to North America to establish a colony, trade and locate the Spanish silver mines. NGC has a special division known as NGC Shipwreck Certification that was established to address the special factors that must be considered when certifying and grading coins that have spent time submerged in the sea. Get it FREE now. The lure of shipwrecks and the treasures they yield has fascinated many people, not only for their monetary worth but also their rich history. [3], The packet steamer Pulaski, bound for Baltimore, Maryland, departed Charleston, South Carolina on June 14, 1838, under Captain DuBois, with a crew of 37 and 131 passengers on board. It's exciting.". Weve found some coins in the shell of small lock boxes, Webb said. More information and a video on the coins recovered from the SS Central America can be found here. "With respect to what is there, we have only scratched the surface," Eldred said. U.S. coins from the first decade of the 1800s sell for between $40,000 and $150,000 each, in part because its a time when the nation was just starting to produce coinage, experts say. The wreck is no longer folklore, on the pages of a book. [2] Her starboard boiler exploded about 11 p.m., causing massive damage as the ship was traveling from Savannah, Georgia, to Baltimore, Maryland; she sank in 45 minutes. Gold chain belonging to one of the passengers was found on encrustation from the shipwreck. . As the buyer, you should be aware of possible: https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/05/09/1499381/0/en/Identity-of-the-Shipwreck-Steamboat-Pulaski-Confirmed-More-Coins-and-Artifacts-Recovered.html, http://wcti12.com/news/state-news/divers-find-proof-that-shipwreck-off-nc-coast-is-steamship-that-sank-in-1838, https://blog.gainesvillecoins.com/2018/02/10/shipwreck-from-19th-century-discovered-carolina-coast/, https://www.news4jax.com/news/jacksonville-explorers-make-major-shipwreck-discovery. The luxury steamships wealthy passengers included former New York Congressman William Rochester and prominent Savannah banker and businessman Gazaway Bugg Lamar, then one of the richest men in the region. The recovered collection of artifacts includes some of the earliest and rarest United States gold coins ever found on a shipwreck. It was about 10 p.m., after most of the passengers had turned in, that a loud explosion startled and shook everyone aboard. The Steamship Pulaski had a passenger list made up of some of the wealthiest and most politically powerful people in the eastern United States, reports the North Carolina Shipwrecks Blogspot. Learn how your comment data is processed. During the defense's cross-examination of E. Jean Carroll, Trump's attorney asked the writer why she "did not scream" when she was "supposedly raped.". She learned how to bake from The Great British Baking Show. Now, shes a contestant. The vessel was 30 miles offshore when its starboard boiler exploded, sending the Pulaski to the ocean floor in 45 minutes. In the case of the SS Central America treasure, the gold coins were protected from the effects of sand and microorganisms by being enclosed in a San Francisco Mint Box. What we are discovering is that the heavier parts of the ships any parts with some weight to them were slowly falling off as the ship drifted. A scrap-metal salvaging team for shipwrecks discovered materials at the wreck site in the 1950s. Unable to subscribe to our eNewsletter. Divers from the Henley Sub Aqua Club discovered rich cargo from several shipwrecks in the 1990s near Salcombe, England. for helping with the research on the SB Pulaski. NGCs Shipwreck Certification division is the only service for independent third-party shipwreck coin certification. Location found: Off the South Korean coast. After a shrimp trawler found several relics from a sunken ship off the Florida Keys, an extensive excavation began in 1989 by deep-ocean shipwreck exploration pioneers of Seahawk Deep Ocean Technology. The collection includes 2,500 expensive cups, bowls and plates. There are piles of it and its sticking out of the sand in all directions.. 1838 shipwreck of 'Pulaski' from Savannah was 'the Titanic of . Endurance Exploration Group used research and sonar to shipwreck. The SS Pulaski sank off the coast of North Carolina in 1838. Cargo within the wreck site consists of Islamic gold jewelry, cannons, ceramics, kitchenware and personal belongings. The wreck included ceramic vessels, elephant tusks, tin and copper ingots, hundreds of lead ore nuggets, amber from the Baltic region and personal items such as games and combs. In 2007, South Korean archaeologists found a rich cache of well-preserved porcelain from the 12th-century shipwreck that they believe were intended for nobles of the Goryeo Dynasty. Its just the boilers, which would not have been surrounded by wealthy people on the night of the explosion. On May 9, Blue Water Venturesalong with their partner company Endurance Exploration Groupannounced the recovery of artifacts that prove the remains do indeed belong to the ill-fated ship. In 2015, Zvika Fayer discovered the extraordinary treasure of Caesarea during a routine dive trip when he first found a gold coin with Arabic script on both sides glittering on the ocean floor. Location found: Newport Harbor, Rhode Island. Approximately 128 people died; 59 survived. The coins initially. The surprising twist was revealed this month when a salvage team used high-tech sonar to survey areas far beyond the known wreck site. On June 13, 1838, the Pulaski was under way from Savannah to Baltimore with about 150 wealthy passengers on board. Wikipedia. Essentially underwater time capsules, wreckages can hold hoards of valuables that would have been lost. Most of the 600 men onboard went down with the ship and its valuable treasure. 1715 Fleet - Atocha Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC. Their valuable find included many items from the Tang Dynasty, including Chinese bowls, spice bars, pitchers, inkwells, funeral urns and gilt-silver bars. "European boxwood, or Buxus sempervirens, was known to the . Archeologists believe the vessel was headed for western India to transport its luxury cargo when it pulled too close to shore in Namibia during a storm, hit a rock and sank. The sinking of the Pulaski on June 14, 1838, has long intrigued maritime historians for countless reasons, including the fact most of its passengers were members of wealthiest families in the. Pulaski set sail from Savannah, Georgia on June 13, 1838, carrying mainly well-to-do passengers bound for points north. Some items found include ceramic cups, urns, jugs, kitchenware, stone anchors and lead ingots. Many of the treasures, including numerous diamonds found onboard the ship, have sold at auction for over millions of dollars. Nineteenth century copper U.S. large cent awaits curation to remove the heavy encrustation that appears on the coin after 180 years on the ocean floor. The victims of the Pulaskis demise didnt die in vain. The wood had deteriorated, but the contents were in tact, including coins that were stacked 6 inches high., We thought were on the part that was the main wreckage, but its not. But the aftermath from the tragedy of the SB Pulaski, a passenger/freight steamboat that sank off the coast of North Caroline, June, 1838, kept it in the news in a good way. NEW! Four of the 1857-S $20 gold coins received a NGC MS 67+, meaning their quality nearly met the requirements of NGC MS 68. Whydah Gally The team has yet to dive on the pile of wreckage to the south, but the sonar survey shows there are three distinct wreckage piles positioned in a straight line, he said. The cargo also held one of the largest gold cups ever found from the Tang Dynasty. It is believed that the seventh-century B.C. All News, Articles, Commentary and Opinions are contributed by the author(s), with or without compensation, who are solely responsible for the content, and do not represent CoinWeek Management. Location found: In the town of Salcombe, England. A mix of British, Spanish and American coins, all are dated from before 1838. Bo King can stand in his backyard and hear the band Providence High School just 11 minutes away by bike. Divers believe they've found famed luxury ship that sank in 1838 off the NC coast. So stay tuned. The Pulaski disaster, which the Observer refers to as the Titanic of its time, was notable not just for its high death toll, but for whom it was carrying when it went down. These treasures are now displayed at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore. When hes not writing, or diving, Ellsworth appears as a featured speaker at maritime symposiums in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, New York and Philadelphia. I finally hit the big one. Popular NC lottery game ends after man scores jackpot. Gold watch frozen at time steamship exploded and sank off NC in 1838 up for auction, Battle for late Johnny Winters music to play out in court, Severe storms with high winds, hail expected to roll into Triangle, central NC Sunday, Womans claims led to Emmett Tills lynching. The paddle wheel and engine might have been the first objects to hit the bottom of the ocean, said Keith Webb, head of Florida-based Blue Water Ventures International. All 502 coins predated the sinking of the Pulaski in 1838, with the oldest being a 1750s British Gold Guinea, said Micah Eldred of Endurance Exploration Group. What makes the wreck site so valuable, Webb. The ancient wreckage contained priceless artifacts, including an analog device for predicting astronomical positions and eclipses. There is so much debris there, its almost like a bomb went off, Webb said. The mail bags are rotted now, but likely still in place.. NGC graded one of the 1857-S $20 gold coins recovered from the shipwreck NGC MS 67 PL, making it the finest known Prooflike example of the coin. Coin image courtesy of Numismatic Guaranty Corp. It technically means he has spent 3 years diving on what he believes is not the main section of the shipwreck. Others clung to makeshift floats made from the wreckage. Check out the photos below or go to the Blue Water Ventures websitefor more info about the shipwreck. Learn more>. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. At about 2300 hours, she broke up and went down, taking 128 passengers and crew . So far, between $100,000 and $200,000 worth of early American coins have been found. It remains one of the country's deadliest maritime accidents. Keith Webb, founder of Blue Water Ventures, a shipwreck exploration company involved in the discovery, doesn't think the coins are Ridge's lost fortune, according to the Charlotte Observer. When recovered coins show no signs of having been immersed in water, NGCs normal Coin Grading Scale is used. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. But in 2008, the wreck was discovered during a diamond mining operation. Most of the cargo was found in a sea cave. The dive in May was facilitated by nitrox enriched diving equipment and training, which made extended dies possible and gave the team the ability to establish better working grids for on-site excavation. The Pulaski is one of the earliest shipwrecks from which U.S. coins have been recovered. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. Gold is one of them. NGC also provides a wear or detail grade to Shipwreck Effect coins that ranges from Uncirculated to Good. according to the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, Parents say south Charlotte CMS plan gives me nightmares. Heres whats driving worries, A pok bowl restaurant in Charlotte brings healthy, fast-casual option to Dilworth, Beyoncs Black Parade Route will give 100 Charlotte businesses a seat at luncheon, Senate bill being discussed Monday could change the way HS sports are governed in NC. Once incarcerated, now this Charlotte man shows others the path to a second chance. Yet, how has his team managed to find so much treasure? Archeologists believe the Tortugas shipwreck is the 117-ton Buen Jesus y Nuestra Senora del Rosario, part of the 1622 fleet that included the Santa Margarita and the Atocha, which were bound for Spain with riches from the New World. Over 17,000 artifacts, including 27 gold bars, 1,184 silver cob coins, 258 valuable beads, beautiful pottery pieces and 6,838 pearls were found. The Mary Rose was one of the most expensive salvaging projects undertaken in maritime archeological history. They are in the position they might have been in when they were in the trunk, Webb said. 2023 CoinWeek DISCLAIMER: All content within CoinWeek.com is presented for informational purposes only, with no guarantee of accuracy. The ship's design was more about its beautiful ornamentation and elegance than its seaworthiness. Experts believe the coins could finally determine if the lost-lost ship has been located because of accounts of a Pulaski passenger named Charles Ridge. From the 1950s to the 1990s, silver continually washed up on the shores of Minjiang. Blue Water Ventures salvage efforts in January 2018 recovered coins from the United States, Spain, Mexico and Great Britain among other artifacts. This Swedish warship was built between 1626 and 1628 and is considered a high-tech vessel. [2], In January 2018 divers reported that they believed they had found wreckage of Pulaski 40 nautical miles (74km; 46mi) off the North Carolina coast. There may have been 100 steamer trunks on board, so we have just scratched the surface.. The flagship La Belle was one of four ships that set sail on the historic but ill-fated mission in 1684. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. "Passenger losses were estimated at $150,000 face value of paper money, specie, and $10,000 in jewelry. Mr. Boyd paints a very vivid picture of the romance and tragedy of the sea. Webbs team has explored only a fraction of the wreckage, but still found more than 500 gold and silver coins, along with nearly 10 gold watches. To put things into perspective, one gold nugget weighing 80 pounds sold for $8 million after the discovery. It is also believed to have had American Eagle gold coins from the U.S. navy payroll. What makes the shipwreck so valuable is that, in 1980, it became the British Island's first national marine park and is now one of the most popular dive sites in the world. The ship is now listed on the U.S. National Registry of Historic Places. [7] This was confirmed several months later, when salvage divers recovered items from the wreckage. Blue Water Ventures CEO Keith Webb called the candlestick and other relics like it a game changer when he spoke to the Charlotte Observer last Wednesday. While recuperating aboard ship, Mr. Ridge confessed that his entire fortune, $25,000, went down with the steamboat. ship ran aground 2,700 years ago in the rocky region of Bajo de la Campana. Launched in 1511 during the reign of Henry VIII, the Mary Rose was a Tudor warship that sank in the Solent in 1545 during a battle with France. Bellamy caught the ship after a three-day chase and then headed north along the eastern coastline of the American colonies. Over 100 early 19th-century gold and silver coins recovered from the Steamship Pulaskiwreck on earlier dive. "We will find it, I assure you, and it will be in one pile. Numismatic Conservation Services has begun the laborious process of curating coins recovered from the June 14, 1838, wreck of the steam packet SS Pulaski, for sister firm Numismatic Guaranty Corp. to grade and encapsulate. She held back at that moment, not wanting to shock him, but told him later that she was heiress to a $200,000 family estate. One of the most fascinating discoveries is a solid gold pocket watch that eerily stopped, frozen in time, at 11.05pm - 5 minutes after eye-witness accounts say the ship sank on June 14, 1838 . NC explorers solved it this week. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for TREASURE copper COIN shipwreck 1808 EAST INDIA Co wreck SHIP 20 cash XX GARDNER at the best online prices at eBay! This all comes to life again in this most recent publication. Despite being lost under 8,000 feet of seawater for 131 years, the coins were in remarkable condition. Nautical tools, weapons, silks and spices were also found aboard the ship. Intersal, a private marine exploration company, found the ship in 1996. Wondering what new treasures Blue Water Ventures will find the story continues. Our strategy was to sell sufficient coins to recoup our 2018 salvage cost and provide working capital to continue operations through 2019, Eldred said. Searching a mile beyond the original recorded wreck site, divers found the boats stern and keel in 115 feet of water. The sinking of the Pulaski on June 14, 1838, has long intrigued maritime historians for countless reasons, including the fact most of its passengers were members of wealthiest families in the Southeast. After a stop in Charleston, where it boarded 65 more passengers, the paddle wheel steamer headed for Baltimore, Maryland, its final destination. The coin is from the Philadelphia Mint production of 553,147 half eagles in 1836. Value: $210 million of pig iron, tea and silver. Blue Water Ventures International (OTC:BWVI) an industry leader in shallow ocean historic shipwreck exploration using archaeologically sound recovery methods, which are predicated on state-of-the-art technology targeting shipwrecks primarily in North and Central America including the Caribbean. Endurance Exploration Group, of Clearwater, Florida, and Blue Water Ventures International, of Green Cove Springs, Florida, have teamed up in a joint venture to recover coins and other artifacts lost when the vessel sank. "That's why this shipwreck is so special. A diagram of the coins' locations in the box, which is identified on the NGC certification label. In 1624, Francisco Melian salvaged a portion of the ship. Santa Margarita sank with a King's ransom in treasures and the lives of 142 crew members. John Dubois left Charleston, the boat was making headway in moderate seas until it reached the coast of North Carolina. . Its valuable cargo included 1,845 copper ingots weighing approximately 16 to 17 tons, 2,000-plus gold and silver coins and 105 elephant tusks. The elusive stern of the steamship Pulaski has finally been found, proving the burning ship drifted out of control for more than three miles possibly dragging desperate passengers with it. This story was originally published June 23, 2021, 9:05 AM. The 280-foot S.S. Central America was a steamer carrying 578 passengers that left Panama for New York City on Sept. 3, 1857. After a lengthy legal battle with insurance companies, the discovery team was awarded 92 percent of the gold in 1996. Still, by 1999, the wreck was declared a site of historical and archaeological importance. The Pulaski is one of the earliest shipwrecks from which U.S. coins have been recovered. Sunken ships and their artifacts also offer an expansive exploration of the deep-water marine environment and how it has changed over time. In January, marine exploration and recovery company Blue Water Ventues International (BWVI) announced that they had found the site of the shipwreck of the Steamship Pulaski, which sank off the coast of North Carolina 150 years ago. Salvage divers searched many years for the paddlewheel steamboat, but it wasnt until the summer of 2018 that a surprising discovery was made by Blue Water Ventures International, a company out of Jacksonville, Florida. Background image in public domain. Look closely at a coin that has been recovered from the sea, and you might see damage caused by saltwater. It was bound for Baltimore from Savannah when its boilers exploded around 11 p.m., about 40 miles off North Carolina. Very, very fond memories. Dr. Joseph Schwarzer, a local historian and Director of the North Carolina Maritime Museums, was on hand waiting to see what else the team would recover from the site. SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, Ship That Fired First Pearl Harbor Shots Discovered, Ancient Roman Shipwrecks Discovered Off Greek Island, Bodies of World War II Soldiers Dumped in Mass Grave, Secret Chinese Police Stations in Europe Are 'Tip of the Iceberg', Trump's Attorney Just Blew Carroll Rape Case, King Charles Says Royals Require 'Acting Ability', Ukraine Will Regain 'Significant Territory' From Russia, Florida GOP Paves the Way to Help Ron DeSantis Challenge Trump. to discover the sunken SS Pulaski . The ships were delayed by six weeks and left port on Sept. 4 during hurricane season. Her husband and their eldest son Charles Augustus Lafayette Lamar were the only members of the immediate family to survive. One of the coins recovered, and among the first curated to remove encrustation, graded and encapsulated, is illustrated with this article an 1836 Classic Head gold $5 half eagle. The shipwreck is considered a valuable find since the cargo contents have given archeologists new insight into the Phoenician presence in Spain and the western Mediterranean. Knocked out by the explosion, the first mate Hibbard assessed the small boats and put three in the water. The original story is below. While they have yet to find the engraved ships bell (the main object used to authenticate a wreck), divers identified a few artifacts engraved with the name Pulaski, as well as numerous coins that were all produced prior to 1838. the 1877 Pirate Coin Spanish Shipwreck Treasure Chest Era Old Spanish Antique US $0.01 1 bid $1.98 shipping 9d 14h 1600's Spanish Pirate Shipwreck Cob Coin, Colonial Era - Genuine $16.99 $5.25 shipping or Best Offer 48 watching El Cazador Shipwreck 2 Reale 1783 Silver Coin NGC Cert $275.00 21 watching Known as the "Millionaire Ship" due to the number of wealthy passengers onboard, the steam-powered ocean liner was launched on Feb. 26, 1903, from Liverpool, England, heading for Boston, Massachusetts. We think it's likely there would have been much more specie than paper money, given the time period. By DAVE COLLINS The U.S. Federal District Court in Tampa, Florida has issued an order granting ownership of over 600 artifacts and pieces of treasure recovered to date from the wreck of the SS Pulaski to Blue Water Ventures International and project partner Endurance Exploration Group. You have entered an incorrect email address! The book tells the story of the Pulaski, a steamship that sunk off the coast of North Carolina en route to Savannah in 1838. . After detailed excavations over the years, more than 2,000, 24-karat gold coins (known as dinars) with a purity of 95 percent have been unearthed from the 1,600- to 1m700-year-old wreck site. There are some metals that are remarkably resilient to the corrosive effects of saltwater. Location found: In the Mediterranean Sea near the port of Caesarea. The ship went aground in 1718, and Blackbeard was killed just months later in a battle with British naval forces. Location found: Near the Marquesas Keys in the Florida Straits. Eldred told the Charlotte Observer the sale was done to fund more time on the project. After staying in touch the many years, I still yearn for those vivid descriptions and the romance that is woven into the events. This is empirical evidence. As such, it has been entrusted over the years with certifying treasures recovered from a number of shipwrecks, including the famed SS Republic shipwreck, the storied 1715 Treasure Fleet shipwreck, the SS Pulaski shipwreck and . RELATED: Most Valuable Antique Bottles, Ranked, Location found: Off the coast of Antikythera on the edge of the Aegean Sea. Instead, the vessel was most likely leaving Havana when it encountered a hurricane and was destroyed. "When we find his money, it won't be the size of a cigar box. Yes, the story continues as Blue Water Adventures and their divers search for more artifacts. About 59 persons survived, and 128 were lost. The Colombian Navy discovered the shipwreck 300 years later in 2015. The roughly six dozen coins recovered thus far carry dates from the late 1700s through 1836, and comprise a total face value of approximately $100, according to Micah Eldred, president of Endurance Exploration. John Liang is the News Editor at DeeperBlue.com. CMS latest plan sends his kids 8 miles in another direction. The hands of the engraved solid gold pocket watch on a gold chaina piece only the wealthiest of men could affordare stopped at 11:05, just five minutes after the boiler reportedly exploded. Credit: Blue Water Ventures International. Manage your Portfolio from anywhere, look up coins with a scan, buy/sell/trade and more. Want news like this delivered to your inbox once a month? The U.S. Federal District Court in Tampa, Florida has issued an order granting ownership of over 600 artifacts and pieces of treasure recovered to date from the wreck of the SS Pulaski to Blue Water Ventures International and project partner Endurance Exploration Group. What makes the ship so valuable is that 95 percent of its wood is still intact. The ship was first launched in Great Britain in 1764 and sailed the South Pacific before it became the first European ship to reach the east coast of Australia. The expensive ship and its ore have been valued at roughly $25 million and now serve as a home for diverse marine life. Credit: Blue Water Ventures International. However, this vessel was a wealthy Iron Age, Phoenician wreck carrying luxury goods for trade. Also known as the Tang Shipwreck, this Arabian sailing vessel is believed to have sunk around 830 A.D. when it sailed from Arabia to China. He believes such coins would number in the thousands, and be worth millions of dollars. Pulaski etched onto them. Captain Martin Bayerle, a treasure hunter, found the wreck of the luxury liner in 1981. Location found: West of Key West, Florida. UPDATE: Blue Water Ventures International released an update Aug. 21, reporting it had recovered a lot of shipwreck material, and a nice amount of coins along the way. The crew believes it found the keel section of the Pulaski, the release said. O ne coin in particular could be worth up to $100,000, according. Peter Throckmorton found the wreck's remains in 1975. The vessel also contained gold, silver, jewelry, ivory, rum and spices. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. Your email address will not be published. Portions of the wreck were first found by fishermen in 1836, but the discovery of the entire vessel occurred on May 5, 1971. Hotels near E-Scooters Texel, Texel on Tripadvisor: Find 3,985 traveler reviews, 1,247 candid photos, and prices for 253 hotels near E-Scooters Texel in Texel, The Netherlands. The 150 gold and silver coins discovered thus far are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars today. They started rowing away from the sinking ship, which went down in 45 minutes. Sellers declare the item's customs value and must comply with customs declaration laws. The ship was believed to be most luxurious and swiftest steamship of its time, which is why it appealed to the wealthy and businessmen. During a lull in the storm, the Rhone tried to make a break to a safer harbor, but the violent winds knocked the ship into the rocks at Black Rock Point, breaking the vessel in two. Artifacts from the shipwreck are on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum in Key West, Florida. 35364, Hordance Edward Hayden, {a victim of the Pulaski} "Virginia Genealogies: A Genealogy of the Glassell Family of Scotland and ", Samuel Breck Parkman (Victium) The Diary of Rev. It was carrying 36 crew members and nearly 150 passengers, according to. The vessel was known as the "Ship of Gold" since it carried gold from prospectors who had struck it rich in the California Gold Rush. Divers retrieved a cache of 14 gold and 24 silver coins from the ship, according to the Charlotte Observer. In February 2022, Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) was honored to reveal to the public the last of the unopened cargo recovered from the SS Central America, bringing to a close a mystery that inspired treasure hunters for decades. Gold and silver coins were found in the rubble. The Spanish galleon Santa Margarita was lost in a hurricane off the coast of the Florida Keys. NGC Shipwreck Certification provides independent assurance of the pedigree of recovered artifacts as well as evaluating the condition and providing a grade. In this case, public opinion prompted Congress to pass regulations that governed steamer inspections, earmarking the vessels engine rooms and lifeboats. The precious cargo contained items from nine to 10 different cultures, including Cypriot copper and tin ingots, pottery, medallions, beads and amber from the Baltic region.