Archaeologist sheds new light on astonishing discovery of wrecked slave ships: 'Stranded on the coast'

Archaeologists are shedding airy connected the astonishing recognition of 2 18th-century enslaved ships disconnected the seashore of Central America.

The ships, named Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, person been sitting successful shallow waters disconnected Costa Rica's Cahuita National Park for implicit 300 years, arsenic Fox News Digital antecedently reported.

The 18th-century vessels were shipwrecked successful 1710, and archaeologists lone precocious discovered that the ships – agelong believed to beryllium pirate ships – were utilized to transport slaves.

Now, successful a connection to Fox News Digital, National Museum of Denmark archaeologist David John Gregory said the 2 ships carried betwixt 600 and 700 African slaves astatine the clip of the sinking, positive astir 100 crewmen.

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"When the ships were abandoned connected the seashore of present-day Costa Rica, astir each of the enslaved were released connected the forested seashore but for astir 20 people, who were forced onboard smaller vessels heading for the adjacent Spanish municipality of Portobello," helium said.

Gregory added, "[Fridericus Quartus] was acceptable connected occurrence by its crew, portion the other, Christianus Quintus, was acceptable escaped from its moorings and soon aft stranded connected the coast."

New details person been revealed astir 2 precocious identified enslaved ships. (Jakob Olling; Ana María Arenas Moreno)

The slaves – mostly of West African root – either assimilated into section communities oregon were, unfortunately, recaptured, according to East Carolina University. 

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Gregory besides described his team's excavation arsenic "minimal," saying they lone searched immoderate 21 quadrate feet astir the vessel "specifically to get samples of the ship's timber."

"Almost each of the enslaved were released connected the forested coast." 

He added, "No quality remains were encountered [or] disturbed during the excavation process."

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Archaeologists were capable to day the ships acknowledgment to dendrochronological technology, uncovering that the wood came from Northern Europe astatine the extremity of the 17th century.

No quality remains were recovered astatine the excavation site, said a National Museum of Denmark archaeologist.  (National Museum of Denmark)

"The timbers originate successful the occidental portion of the Baltic Sea, an country that encompasses the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg, arsenic good arsenic Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark and Scania — and that the histrion was chopped down sometime during the years 1690-1695," the National Museum of Denmark said successful a statement.

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"The wood is, moreover, charred and sooty, which confirms what humanities sources accidental astir 1 of the ships being acceptable ablaze."

Experts identified the shipwreck aft investigating its wood, arsenic good arsenic the clay bricks it carried. (John Fhær Engedal Nissen / National Museum of Denmark)

Divers besides recovered yellowish clay bricks and clay piping, which each suggested the ships had a Danish origin. 

Gregory antecedently said successful a connection that the findings "fit perfectly" with humanities accounts of the ships.

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"The analyses are precise convincing and we nary longer person immoderate doubts that these are the wrecks of the 2 Danish enslaved ships," the adept observed.

National Museum of Denmark marine archaeologist Andreas Kallmeyer Bloch described the task arsenic being "the craziest archaeological excavation I’ve yet been portion of."

Researchers recovered that the yellowish clay bricks from the shipwreck came from Denmark. (Jakob Olling; National Museum of Denmark)

"Not lone due to the fact that it matters greatly to the section population, but besides due to the fact that it’s 1 of the astir melodramatic shipwrecks successful the past of Denmark, and present we cognize precisely wherever it happened," helium said.

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"This provides 2 pieces that person been missing from the past of Denmark."