Gibraltar Bay Holds 134 Shipwrecks, from the Punic Era to World War II

JAKARTA - The Strait of Gibraltar turns out to have a dense layer of history at the bottom of the sea. The Guardian quoted Thursday, April 16, reported that a team of Spanish archaeologists found 151 archaeological sites in the area, including 134 shipwrecks from the 5th century BC to World War II.

The findings are the result of a three-year project led by the University of Cádiz in conjunction with the University of Granada. So far, researchers have documented 34 shipwrecks. The oldest dates back to the Punic era in the 5th century BC. In addition, the team also recorded 23 Roman ships, two late Roman ships, four medieval ships, and 24 ships from the early modern period.

The area at the northern end of the Strait of Gibraltar has long been a busy narrow lane. Merchant ships, war fleets, and exploratory voyages from various nations pass through there. Therefore, the seabed of this bay contains traces of Phoenician, Roman, Spanish, British, Venetian, and Dutch. "This is one of the narrow points that ships must always pass through, both for trade routes, discovery voyages, and armed conflicts," said Felipe Cerezo Andreo, professor of archaeology at the University of Cádiz who led the Herakles Project.

One of the most interesting findings is Puente Mayorga IV, a small Spanish gun ship from the late 18th century. This type of ship was used for quick and silent attacks on British warships around Gibraltar. The ship often disguised itself as a fishing boat before releasing the net and firing the cannon from the bow. Although it often appeared in reports in its time, archaeologists have not studied many ships like this.

The research team also found a wooden box in the shape of a book that was originally suspected of containing confidential documents. Still referring to The Guardian's report, after being examined, the contents turned out to be only a pair of wooden combs. The suspicion of espionage also shook, although it was precisely where the human side was. It turns out that in the midst of war and sailing, there are also people who apparently still think about appearance.

Cerezo said the value of the bay is not only in the number of shipwrecks, but also in the diversity of its culture and time. According to him, there are very few places in the Mediterranean that have such a concentration of archaeological remains. The problem is, these sites are now threatened by port construction, dredging, wharf construction, sea level rise, and invasive algae. Therefore, researchers created virtual models and 360-degree videos so that the public could see the condition of the site directly and help promote its protection.