Pictured above are just some of the incredible treasures discovered from the wreck. Source: Allen Exploration.
Explorers in the Bahamas have uncovered a treasure trove of gold and jewellery from the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas that sunk in 1656.
The shipwreck-also known as Our Lady of Wonders- has long been known about, with previous expeditions in the past 350 years successfully digging up fortunes.
However this latest discovery has resurfaced priceless gold, jewellery, ornaments, and weapons that belonged to Spanish galleon that sunk some 70km off the shore of Little Bahama Bank.
Previous expeditions uncovered artefacts hidden within the shipwreck but Allen Exploration along with US and Bahamian marine archaeologists decided to scan 13km worth of seabed behind Our Lady of Wonders.
Golden chains and coins, emerald pendants worn by members of the Order of Santiago (knights who would protect pilgrims), along with olive jars and sword handles were recovered according to Allen Exploration owner Carl Allen who said that it’s thanks to technology this latest find will be displayed in the Bahamas Maritime Museum.
“The Maravillas is an iconic part of The Bahamas’s maritime history,” he said.
“Some say the remains were ground to dust [but] using modern technology and hard science, we’re not tracking a long and winding debris trail of finds.”
Mr Allen went on to detail just exactly how all these relics ended up on the Maravillas.
“The galleon was stuffed with contraband illegally greasing the palms of Spanish merchants and officials,” he said.
According to historians the ship sunk on return from Havana to Spain after it collided with another Spanish ship. Onboard treasures from the Americas as well as another ship all sunk to the bottom around midnight on January 4 with only 45 out of 650 people on board surviving, most killed be sharks.
Allen says that along the journey of the two-year expedition, his team discovered over 18 more shipwrecks that have yet to be studied.
