Portugal's hidden treasures: 250 valuable shipwrecks found
Portugal has up to 250 valuable shipwrecks off its coast. According to scientists from the New University of Lisbon, there are significantly more wrecks, but treasures are believed to be on these specific 250. These findings have both financial and historical value, as they are several hundred years old.
This discovery is a treasure, quite literally! Scientists from the New University of Lisbon, led by Alexandre Monteiro from the Institute of History, Territories, and Communities, conducted extensive research to determine the location of all the wrecks that sank off the coast of Portugal. This endeavour was not without its challenges.
Thousands of wrecks off the coast of Portugal
The research leader Alexandre Monteiro managed to create a database accounting for the location of 8,620 shipwrecks that sank off the coast of the Azores, Madeira, and mainland Portugal - reports the Portuguese agency Lusa. Near Portugal itself, there are up to 7,500, and 1,000 around the Azores. The fewest, about 120, sank off the coast of Madeira. Of this number, up to 250 wrecks are ships that carried various valuables, which may still lie at the bottom of the ocean.
The entire database includes ships that sank after the year 1500, as documentation of such cases only started then.
One wreck, in particular, has captured the researchers’ attention.
I know that in front of Troia there is a Spanish ship from 1589, called Nossa Senhora do Rosário. I investigated and I even know the name of the commander’s mother and there are officially 22 tons of gold and silver there - Monteiro told the Lusa agency.
Wrecks can also be spotted while diving. However, despite promising data, further research might not be straightforward due to the Portuguese government, which is doing nothing about the sunken wrecks.
Wrecks in the oceans - treasures without protection
The Portuguese government in no way protects the discovered wrecks. Admittedly, looting is not a concern because the wrecks are mostly covered by sand, but according to scientists, various sports activities may soon appear that could threaten these valuable historical findings.
