In 2008, a diamond mining operation near Oranjemund, Namibia, resulted in the discovery of a significant piece of history when the wreck of the Bom Jesus, a Portuguese merchant ship lost at sea in 1533, was found after being buried for over 500 years beneath layers of sand and water. The discovery allows archaeologists to view the wreckage as a time capsule from the Age of Discovery, with the ship’s contents preserved almost perfectly, thanks to the ship’s cargo of copper ingots, which provided protection for the ship from marine deterioration. The discovery of the Bom Jesus opens up a variety of new opportunities to study the global trade routes of the 16th century, as well as the shipbuilding techniques of the time and the hazards faced by early explorers on their journeys through the treacherous Atlantic Ocean.
Gold, ivory, and cannons: 500-year-old shipwreck discovered in desert sands
According to a report in ‘The Mariner’s Mirror’, on March 7th, 1533, the Bom Jesus left from Lisbon on its way to the Indian subcontinent carrying trade goods that were transported on board. Historical analysis done by archaeologists and historians indicates that the ship foundered during a severe storm, leading to it being driven towards the coast of Namibia by waves and then striking a rock shelf. Since most of the human remains have not been located, it is believed that some crew members survived the initial sinking, but the ship and its valuable cargo were buried beneath the sand of the Skeleton Coast for approximately 500 years.
How a toxic cargo preserved history
During the excavation of the wreck, experts found more than 40 tons of cargo – including an incredible variety of artefacts that had escaped scavenging largely because they were located in an area previously protected from diamond mining. This shipment included thousands of gold and silver coins, there were bronze cannons, navigational astrolabes, and several hundred elephant tusks, as noted in a report, ‘The Mariner’s Mirror’. One of the more interesting points about these items is that they were found in a well-preserved state (including organic materials) because of the biocidal properties of the copper cargo, which prevented marine creatures from consuming the organic remains of sunken ships.
What ivory and copper reveal about early global trade
Found to be some of the most important marine archaeological discoveries in southern Africa, the copper ingots (17 tonnes approximately) bear the trident of the Fugger family of Augsburg, Germany, and are evidence that Renaissance Europe traded extensively with sub-Saharan Africa. The elephant ivory that was also found has yielded significant information to scientists on the historical populations of West African forest elephants and how early global trade affected the environment.
