Discovered Sunken Pirate Vessel Contains Staggering Hoard of Valuables Worth a Breathtaking $138 Million off Madagascar's Shoreline
In the crystal-clear waters off the coast of Madagascar, a remarkable archaeological discovery has been made. The Centre for Historic Shipwreck Preservation has unearthed a 300-year-old shipwreck, believed to be the Portuguese vessel, the Nossa Senhora do Cabo, captured by pirates in 1721. This galleon was carrying a vast treasure estimated to be worth over $138 million today, along with important religious cargo from the Portuguese empire.
The significance of this find is multifaceted. It serves as a rare, archaeologically confirmed example of a pirate-captured treasure ship from the Golden Age of Piracy. The ship, later renamed Victorieux by pirate Levasseur, was a key part of documented pirate activity in the Indian Ocean in the early 18th century.
The wreck carried hundreds of enslaved Mozambicans, among other high-ranking passengers and cargo. The artifacts found, such as religious statuettes and plaques bearing images of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, pottery, and Arabic-inscribed gold coins, provide rare physical documentation of Portuguese religious and trade cargo in this region.
The discovery confirms the strategic importance of Ile Sainte-Marie as a pirate haven during this era, offering a safe harbor away from colonial control but close to major trade routes. The find enriches our understanding of pirate operations, showing how pirates seized high-value vessels and treasures and used local bases for repair and resupply.
Treasures uncovered include religious statuettes and plaques connected to Lisbon’s cathedrals, pottery fragments related to the ship’s journey, Arabic-inscribed gold coins, and large quantities of precious metals and other valuable cargo.
This archaeological discovery opens avenues for further exploration of other shipwrecks in the region, which may reveal more about the historical dynamics of piracy, slave trade, and colonial commerce around Madagascar in the 17th and 18th centuries. The study also revealed important details about the ship's final moments before it was left stranded due to storm damage.
The excavation of this site is a testament to the resilience of archaeological methods and the dedication of those involved in uncovering the hidden stories beneath the sea. The discovery highlights the value of continued exploration and preservation efforts in hidden maritime sites. The shipwreck discovery was the culmination of a 16-year archaeological investigation by the Centre for Historic Shipwreck Preservation, starting in 1999.
The amount of treasure seized in this pirate heist was "an eyewatering treasure, even by pirate standards." This find offers a captivating glimpse into the scale of maritime piracy during the 18th century and provides future fieldwork around Sainte-Marie Island with the potential to uncover more wrecks and offer insights into the strategies and operations of pirate crews in the Indian Ocean during the Age of Sail.
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