A mystery ship has been discovered on the seabed near Cascais with a cargo of spices and Ming dynasty ceramics.
Already being referred to as the 'discovery of the decade,' the ship sunk between 1575 and 1625, and was found by a group of underwater archaeologists in a research project led by Cascais Council.
In the wreckage of the ship, the divers have found spices, including pepper, Chinese ceramics and cowries, a type of shell used as currency in the slave trade in parts of Africa.
The scientific director of the project, Jorge Freire, called it the "discovery of the decade," to the delight of sponsors that include the Nova University, the Portuguese government and Portuguese Navy.
The shipwreck was found 12 metres below the surface, in an area 100 meters long and 50 meters wide.
"From a conservation perspective, both for the cargo and the ship itself, this discovery is of great heritage value," said Freire.
Some of the ship's bronze cannons have been found, engraved with the Portuguese coat of arms and the armillary sphere that still appears on the Portuguese flag.
Freire says that the ship probably set sail from India to Lisbon.
"This is one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the century," said the mayor of Cascais, Carlos Carreiras.
Some objects have been removed from the shipwreck for safekeeping, as they ran the risk of damage or loss.
The divers are continuing to explore the wreck and the researchers are delving into records to try and find out the name of the ship," said Freire.
The Chinese ceramics that have been recovered are from the Wanli period (1573-1619), a late era of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
Pictures: CM Cascais
