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Great Treasures of History

Great Treasures of History. Sunken Treasure. Some organizations estimate that there may be as many as three million shipwrecks scattered across the world’s oceans. Some of these lost treasures could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, maybe even more!. Sunken Treasure.

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Great Treasures of History

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  1. Great Treasuresof History

  2. Sunken Treasure • Some organizations estimate that there may be as many as three million shipwrecks scattered across the world’s oceans. • Some of these lost treasures could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, maybe even more!

  3. Sunken Treasure • Searching for sunken treasure is an expensive undertaking, and it is not without risk…. • Treasure from shipwrecks often belongs to the government where it originated.

  4. Did You Know? • The major sunken-treasure areas are the Gulf of Mexico, the western Caribbean, and the waters off the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Azores. • Professional treasure hunters spend months or years in research to discover a wreck’s location and cargo value. • Today, divers have technology on their side—ROVs, submarines, scuba gear, metal detectors, radar, etc.—but in ancient and medieval times, people had to skin dive with weighted diving bells. • In 1687 William Phips, an American shipping merchant, recovered treasure worth about $1,000,000 from a sunken Spanish galleon in this way. • The development of diving suits in the 19th century and of scuba equipment in the 20th century greatly increased the extent of underwater treasure hunting.

  5. The Titanic • Found south of Newfoundland in 1985, by a team of French & American explorers using an unmanned submarine • Some of its artifacts are being sold, valued at over $189 million. • UNESCO convention holds that taking artifacts from the site is unethical, and they want to preserve it as an underwater cultural heritage site. • What do you think?

  6. Treasure of Antikythera • Ancient shipwreck discovered in the year 1900 off the island of Antikythera, near Greece • Most of the cargo was recovered during a 1976 expedition. • Treasure included artifacts, coins and jewelry • Famous “Statue of a Youth” from 340-330 B.C. • Valued at $120-160 million

  7. Tucker’s Cross • Discovered by famous marine explorer Teddy Tucker in 1955 • The 22 karat gold cross is studded with emeralds. • Valued at $250,000 • Stolen in 1975

  8. Padre Island Shipwrecks • In 1554, a fleet of Spanish galleons set sail from Veracruz for Spain loaded with the plunder of the conquistadors. It was said to be the richest treasure fleet that ever sailed. • When a storm scattered the fleet, several galleons went down. Three ships - the Santa Maria de Yciar, San Estebán, and Espíritu Santo - wrecked on Padre Island. • Early efforts at recovery • More treasure salvaged in 1967

  9. The Whydah Gally • One of only a very few pirate ships that have ever been found, the Whydah was the flagship of pirate captain “Black Sam” Bellamy. • Discovered in 1984 near Cape Cod, Massachusetts by Barry Clifford • Over 200,000 artifacts including cannons, coins, gold jewelry, and more • Estimated value is $400 million • Its treasures are still being recovered to this day.

  10. The Atocha Motherlode • The Nuestra Señora de Atocha was a Spanish treasure vessel that sank during a storm in 1622. • Found in 1985 in the Florida Keys by treasure hunter Mel Fisher • Value is estimated at $450 million, and the ship is still being explored

  11. Santa Margarita • Part of the same fleet as the Atocha • First discovered in 1980 • Still being uncovered

  12. The Ship of Gold • In 1857, the S.S. Central America was transporting gold from Panama to New York City, when it encountered a hurricane and sank, carrying 15 tons of gold. • Discovered in 1987 by a group from Ohio, led by Tommy Thompson • Thirty-nine different insurance companies claimed they had a right to the treasure because of damages paid in the 19th century. In the end, the discovery team ending up with 92 % of the treasure. • Valued at $100-150 million

  13. San José Galleon • Part of a Spanish fleet that sailed from Portobelo to Cartagena in 1708 • It sank somewhere off the coast of Columbia, carrying between four and seventeen billion dollars worth of treasure. • It may have been found by a private salvage firm in 1981. • A major legal battle subsequently prevented the recovery of the treasure.

  14. HL Hunley • A Civil War submarine • Originally found by E. Lee Spence in 1970 • Officially verified and explored in 1995 • Spence donated his portion of the findings (valued at $40 million) to the state of South Carolina.

  15. SS Islander • A luxurious steamship designed for the Inside Passage between Alaska and Canada • Built in 1888 • Shipwrecked in 1901, carrying anywhere between $18 and $260 million in gold bullion • Numerous salvage attempts • Raising the SS Islander • Legal battle • The next expedition

  16. Queen Anne’s Revenge • Blackbeard’s flagship • Discovered in 1996 by a private research company • Found in shallow water off the coast of North Carolina • Numerous artifacts and cannons have been recovered. • It is still being excavated to this day.

  17. Belitung Shipwreck • Found by fishermen off the coast of Indonesia in 1998 • The 1st Arabian ship to be discovered and excavated • A rich assortment of early 9th century Tang Dynasty artifacts and treasures, including gold, silver, pearls, rubies and sapphires • Purchased by government of Singapore

  18. Chiemsee Cauldron • Discovered by local divers in 2001 • In Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria (part of Germany) • Made by Otto Gahr, a well-known jeweler and Nazi Party member • Nicknamed “Hitler’s Bedpan”

  19. Java Treasure Trove • Found in Indonesia in 2004 • Contains 14,000 pearls, 4,000 rubies, 400 dark red sapphires, and more than 2,200 garnets, as well as artifacts from more than 1,000 years ago • Treasure hunter Luc Heymans agreed to share the find with the Indonesian government 50-50%. • But there is no policy regarding the collection and export of artifacts, so the treasure sat in a warehouse for years… • The government tried to sell the treasure at an auction in 2010, but the auction was a failure.

  20. The Quedagh Merchant • An Armenian trading vessel captured by Captain Kidd in 1698 • Found in 2007 in shallow waters off the Dominican Republic

  21. The Bom Jesus • This Portuguese ship sailed in 1533 and disappeared off the coast of West Africa. • Found in Namibia in 2008 by a major diamond mining operation • The ship was found buried in the sand. • Treasure includes more than 22 tons of copper ingots, cannons, swords, ivory and gold

  22. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/10/shipwreck/toensing-photographyhttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/10/shipwreck/toensing-photography

  23. The Salcombe Wreck • Found near the coast of Devon, England in 2009 by amateur archaeologists • Artifacts date back to 1200-900 B.C. • So far, over 300 artifacts have been found, including copper and tin, weapons, and several pieces of jewelry.

  24. Odyssey Marine Exploration • Deep-water archaeology and shipwreck salvage company, based in Tampa, FL • Founded by Greg Stemm in 1990’s

  25. Searching for Sunken Treasure • Research original documents • Cargo manifests • Passenger lists • Navigation routes • Anticipate issues with ownership

  26. Searching for Sunken Treasure • Locate a shipwreck • Side-scan sonar • Magnetometer • ROV

  27. Odyssey Explorer

  28. ROV Technology

  29. Searching for Sunken Treasure • Nondisturbance survey • Record & document everything • Create a map of the site • Collect a few small items to establish a claim to the site • Collect artifacts, under the guidance of an archaeologist • Stabilize & transport artifacts • Conservation process

  30. Buen Jesús y Nuestra Señora del Rosario • Part of a fleet of ships sailing from the New World back to Spain, laden with colonial treasures, when they were struck by a powerful hurricane off the Florida Keys • The treasure includes silver, gold, and 6,000 pearls. • First discovered in 1965 when shrimp fishermen pulled up pottery and other artifacts in their deepwater nets, but at a depth of 1300 ft below the surface, recovery wasn't feasible at the time • Later, from 1990-1991, Odyssey was able to recover the treasure using an ROV. • Nicknamed the “Tortugas” project, it was among the first deep-sea ROV shipwreck recoveries in history.

  31. S.S. Republic • The S.S. Republic was a US steamship lost during a hurricane in 1865 off the coast of Georgia. • Discovered in 2003 by Odyssey Marine Exploration • Treasure consists of more than 50,000 gold and silver coins, along with almost 14,000 artifacts • Lawsuit contesting Odyssey’s ownership • Estimates range from $75-180 million

  32. Blue China • During its search for the SS Republic in 2003, Odyssey located this shipwreck off the coast of Florida. • It was named "Blue China” because of the large amount of blue ceramics found at the site.  • Thought to be an American trading vessel from before the Civil War • Later examination of the site revealed damaged from trawl nets being dragged across the ocean floor, displacing and smashing artifacts. • Rescue mission to recover as many intact artifacts as possible • Over 400 individual artifacts were recovered. • Some of the pieces are on display in Odyssey’s traveling exhibit “SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure.”

  33. RMS Laconia • Found off the coast of Ireland in 2009 by Odyssey Marine Exploration • Britain claims ownership • An ocean liner used during WWI to transport silver from Mexico and South America • Hit by a German torpedo in 1917, while returning from the US to England

  34. S.S. Gairsoppa • The S.S. Gairsoppa sunk in 1941 after being torpedoed by a German U-boat. • In 2010, Odyssey Marine Exploration won an exclusive salvage contract from the UK. • The ship was discovered in 2011 in the North Atlantic. • Retrieved from a record depth of 3 miles below the surface • The ship carried 7 million oz. of silver, worth £600,000 at the time. • Its value is now estimated at $200 million.

  35. S.S. Mantola • A British steam ship bound for Calcutta, India carrying 600,000 oz. of silver • It was sunk by a German torpedo in 1917. • The shipwreck was discovered near the Gairsoppa site. • Exclusive salvage rights were granted to Odyssey in 2011.

  36. HMS Victory • A famous British warship sunk by a violent storm in 1744 • Discovered in the English Channel by Odyssey Marine Exploration in 2008 • Thought to contain 4 tons of gold coins

  37. HMS Sussex • A large English warship lost in a severe storm off the coast of Gibraltar in 1694 • Thought to be carrying a substantial amount of treasure • Possibly found by Odyssey in 2001 • 2002 agreement with UK government • Currently excavating the site, trying to determine if it is, in fact, the HMS Sussex • Project interrupted by Spanish diplomatic relations

  38. The Black Swan • Discovered in 2007 by Odyssey Marine Exploration • Treasure includes over 500,000 silver coins • Its value is estimated at $500 million. • Ownership of the treasure was hotly contested. • In the end, it was decided that • the treasure should be turned • over to Spain.

  39. Treasure Hunting Today • A Florida treasure-hunting family found an estimated $300,000 worth of gold coins and chains off the coast of Florida over Labor Day weekend in 2013. • Rick Schmitt and his family uncovered the treasure 150 yards offshore. • The treasure comes from the wreckage of a convoy of 11 ships that were destroyed in a hurricane off the coast of Florida in 1715 while en route from Havana to Spain. • According to the ships' manifests, $400 million worth of treasure was on board and so far only $175 million has been found.

  40. Treasure Hunting Today • The Schmitt family is sponsored by Brent Brisben, who owns the company that bought the rights to the wreck site from legendary treasure hunter Mel Fisher in 2010. • In accordance with U.S. and Florida law, the state of Florida may possess up to 20% of the find to put on display in a state-run museum. The remainder of the gold will be split evenly between Brisben's company and the Schmitt family. • http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/09/03/family-finds-300000-gold-treasure-off-coast-florida/

  41. Treasure Hunting Ethics • Are there sacred treasure sites that should not be disturbed? • How do you determine the value of a treasure? • Monetary worth • Historical / cultural significance • Who should the treasure belong to?

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