I will transfer some of the important posts to here.
The original is to confusing now on what is real and what is jokes
Please dont post here until all is in
Thanks Georg
All Pictures Copy Right
All Pictures Copy Right
All Pictures Copy Right
All photo's are copyrighted to their respective owners.
This is a summary to make it easy to follow All Pictures Copy Right
The old Posts remain.
This Topic is locked
(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z249/georgswa/shipnews.jpg)
Link: http://www.az.com.na/lokales/diamantsuche-gibt-and-schatz-and-frei.66182.php
Link: http://news.orf.at/?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.orf.at%2Fticker%2F288060.html
Link: http://lizzysmusings.blogspot.com:80/2008/05/treasure-ship-found-off-coast-of.html
Link: http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2315370,00.html
http://www.miningweekly.com/article.php?a_id=132428
http://www.oranjemundonline.com/Forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1324.0;attach=5629
Ha... and another article just been emailed to me.... brief mention of the site...
"Sperrgebiet maak venster oop op nuwe skat
Dr. Dieter Noli, die argeoloog wat die skeepswrak bestudeer, tel die munte wat by die wrak gevind is.
DIE moontlikheid dat die skeepswrak wat aan die begin van April by Oranjemund ontdek is die van Diago Cão is, is gister deur kenners op die gebied van Portugese seevaart geuiter.
'n Skoen en ander versierings wat aan adellikes in Portugal verbind word en 'n been wat by die wrak ontdek is, hou die sleutel tot die raaisel van die skip wat volgens aanvanklike inligting deel kon wees van die karavele van die eerste Portugese seevaarders Cão, Vasco da Gama en Dias wat die kus van Afrika verken en die seeroete na die Ooste ontdek het.
Die vonds wat een van die belangrikste in die geskiedenis van Afrika en seevaart in sy geheel kan wees, is volgens aanvanklike berigte reeds op 1 April gemaak, maar is tot Woensdag onder die dekmantel gehou weens die sensitiewe aard daarvan.
Volgens 'n berig in die Sperrgebiet Gazette van 17 April 2008 het mnr. Bob Burrell, Namdeb se bestuurder van minerale hulpbronne, die wrak ontdek terwyl hy besig was met roetine inspeksies by Mynarea 1. Die wrak was aanvanklik sowat ses meter onder seëvlak voor die gebied waar dit gevind is, drooggelê is.
Die gebied wat sowat 12 km noord van die Oranjerivier geleë is, het na bewering 'n skat opgelewer van Spaanse en Portugese goue munte ter waarde van meer as US$2 miljoen, 58 olifanttande en 6 kanonne met 1 500 kg se koperballe wat as koeëls vir die kanonne gebruik is, pewter tafelware, wapens en navigasietoerusting.
Die skip wat na bewering as 'n handelskip diens gedoen het, was blykbaar onderweg na Indië of onderweg na sy tuisland toe dit aan die suidelike kus van Namibië in die moeilikheid geraak het. "Weens die groot hoeveelheid goue munte en ivoor wat by die wrak gevind is, kan ons nie sê of die skip onderweg na Indië was of reeds vandaar teruggekom het nie.
Die hoeveelheid munte dui aan dat hulle nog daarheen onderweg was, maar die ivoor wat gevind is, kan daarop dui dat die skip reeds vanuit die Ooste teruggekeer het," het mnr. Helifa Mbako, groepsbestuurder van buite aangeleenthede en korporatiewe kommunikasie by Namdeb, by navraag aan Republikein gesê. Kenners op die gebied van Portugese seevaart verskil van mekaar oor of die skip na die Ooste onderweg was en of dit reeds die terugtog na Portugal aangepak het.
Dr. Valerie Esterhuizen, verbonde aan die Sentrum vir Portugese Seevaartstudies, is van mening dat die skip steeds onderweg was na die Ooste. Sy skryf: "Omdat daar skynbaar geen Oosterse ware, soos onder andere porseleinskerwe, tussen die wrakstukke is nie, wil dit voorkom dat dit 'n uitvarende skip was." 'n Kenner in Portugal, kommandeur Malhao Pereira, voorheen verbonde aan die seevaarskool in Lissabon, is egter van mening dat die skip onderweg was na Portugal.
Dit is hoe die goue Spaanse munte lyk.
"Dit wil vir my voorkom of die skip op sy terugtog was, nie alleen weens die ligging daarvan nie, maar ook aangesien dit reeds 'gode' (die olifanttande) aan boord gehad het." Dr. Paul Brandt, 'n maritieme argeoloog ook van die Sentrum vir Portugese Seevaartstudies, wat in Pretoria gestasioneer is en aan 'n webwerf vir oud-Oranjemunders se kletskamer oor die skeepswrak deelgeneem het, is die kanonne wat gevind is dekgemonteerde draaikanonne wat tot in die 1500's veral op Portugese skepe gebruik is.
Hy bevestig ook in sy skrywe op die kletskamer dat die ivoor op die skip kan aandui dat dit reeds vanuit die Ooste op pad terug na sy tuisland was, maar sê ook dat die moontlikheid bestaan dat die skip 'n weskus slaweskip was wat die olifanttande in Luanda aan boord geneem het, 'n mening wat ook deur dr. Esterhuizen gelig is.
"Om die skip te identifiseer as komend uit Indië is dit nodig om die muntstukke, karneoolse krale en Chinese uitvoerporselein te sien. Die porseleinskerwe sal ons in staat stel om die skip binne 'n tydperk van 30 jaar te dateer," skryf dr. Brandt. Hy voeg ook by dat sou hy van die munte wat gevind is onder oë kon kry, hy 'n moontlike naam aan die gesonke skip sou kon heg.
"Die munte is die beste manier om die skip uit te ken. Dit kan aan jou die nasionaliteit, die naastenbye datum (die skip kon nie verlore gegaan het voor die datum van die laaste munte nie) gee. Die metaal – goud, silwer of brons, kan aan jou die geskiedenis van die roetes wat dit gevolg het gee, ensovoorts. Alles deel van die groot legkaart – opwindend!"
Die wrak word gereken as die oudste wat nog in Sub-Sahara Afrika ontdek is. "Die vonds is waarvoor ek al vir 20 jaar wag," het dr. Dieter Noli, die argeoloog wat die wrak bestudeer, gister in 'n onderhoud met Associated Press (AP) gesê.
Hy en sy kollega, dr. Bruno Werz, is tans besig met die inventering van die vonds en die doen van navorsing in Namibiese en Suid-Afrikaanse museums en biblioteke en sal binnekort na Portugal en Spanje vertrek, wie se skepe besonder aktief was in die tydperk waaruit hulle vermoed die wrak dateer. "Jy laat nie 'n skipper vry met 'n vrag so waardevol soos hierdie en hou nie rekord daarvan nie," het dr. Noli aan AP gesê. "
New Link i received from Switzerland
http://tagesschau.sf.tv/nachrichten/archiv/2008/05/02/vermischtes/wrack_mit_gold_schwertern_und_kanonen
(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z249/georgswa/wrack_mit_gold_schwertern_und_kanon.jpg)
An online Translation of the text not edited by me so beware of the english LOL
Wreck also gold, swords and cannons 500-jaehriger treasure before Namibia discovered with the diamond search before the coast of the South West African State of Namibia discovered geologist the wreck one approximately 500 years old treasure ship. On board are gold coins, ivory, swords and cannons. A part of the valuable freight was saved in the meantime. "the place of discovery was covered with a multiplicity at objects, among them six bronze cannons, tonnenweise copper, more than 50 elephant impact teeth, ess-Bestecke, navigational instruments, weapons as well as thousands Spanish and Portuguese gold coins, the 15 early in late 14. and. Century coined/shaped were ", said the speaker of the namibisch South African diamond company Namdeb, Hilifa Mbako. Discovery with diamond search The first remnants of the wreck had been discovered in April during the preparation of the sea-bottom for an exploration before the coast of the desert state. Cannon pipes and ingots were to light brought. The bronze cannons are Spanish origin and at the beginning 16. Century much spreads been. Zurzeit is examined in detail the wreck. "we found very valuable treasure articles. Everyone wants to now know, who on the ship was ", so Mbako further. Immense interest The vice-chairman of the Namibi monument advice said, the pieces of find belonged according to the namibischen law to the state. The wreck is not only of Namibia most important archaeological find of the century, but from "immense national and international interest". The governments of Portugal and Spain were informed about the find, with which it concerns according to first estimations the oldest ship wreck in black Africa. It could come from the time before the conquest of the continent by the Europeans. The coast before the earlier colony German southwest Africa, rich at diamonds, is considered than malicious and became in the past centuries the grave for ships of all kinds.
Here are some GoogleEarth References, please note that these are not up to date, as GoogleEarth does not have any current images, but they will give you an idea of the rough location.
This gets interesting now....rumours abound that this could be the watery grave of Diaz himself.. heres an article from the Mail & Guardian
"The final resting place of Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, who in 1488 was the first European to discover the Cape of Good Hope and open up the East Indian trade route, may have been found 500 years after his caravel disappeared in a storm off the south-west African coast in 1500.
Namibian diamond mining company Namdeb this week announced it had found a 500-year-old shipwreck in the so-called Sperrgebiet (forbidden territory) containing a vast treasure of Portuguese and Spanish coins dating back to the late 1400s, as well as tons of copper and more than 50 ivory tusks.
Company spokesperson Hilifa Mbako said the wreck was found by the company's chief geologist, Bob Burrell, on April 1 within Diamond Area 1 during routine mining operations along the southern Namibian coast.
Namdeb -- a 50-50 joint venture between the government of Namibia and international diamond giant De Beers -- controls the entire area between the mouth of the Orange River up to Luderitz, about 300km further north. Access to the area is strictly controlled under Namibian diamond mining laws.
Burrell was first alerted to the find by the discovery of copper ingots and the remains of three bronze cannons. All mining in the area was immediately halted, and in-house experts started examining the site, Mbako said.
Archaeologist Dr Dieter Noli, an expert on the Sperrgebiet, later identified the cannons as Spanish breach-loaders dating back to the 1500s. Namdeb, however, kept the discovery secret until this week, when it issued a press release. It has declined to name the specific location of the wreck.
"The site yielded a wealth of objects including six bronze cannons, several tons of copper, more than 50 elephant tusks, pewter tableware, navigational instruments, weapons and thousands of Spanish and Portuguese gold coins, minted in the late 1400s and early 1500s," Mbako said.
Other company sources said the ship's wreck included human remains that showed indications the passengers may have been royalty, raising the suggestion that it could be Dias's caravel, which went missing off the Cape of Good Hope in 1500 during a storm.
Dias was the first European navigator to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, in 1488, thereby opening the lucrative trading route with the Far East. He named the Cape "the Cape of Storms" (Cabo das Tormentas), but King John II of Portugal later renamed it Cabo de Boa Esperanca (Cape of Good Hope).
Mbako declined to speculate on the origins of the ship, but said the Portuguese government was alerted to the find and they expected a team of Portuguese archaeological experts to be dispatched to the site to further investigate the find. "The shipwreck holds more questions than answers," he said."
A more comprehensive report i found
http://www.derwesten.de/nachrichten/nachrichten/2008/5/4/news-43325038/detail.html
USA Paper
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-briefs3-2008may03,0,3126212.story
An interesting post from Portugal Mr Alexandre an underwater archaeologist
Quote
Hello all. I am afraid I am not an Oranjemunder, but I am a Portuguese underwater archaeologist... :)
That gold coin, the one with the latin inscription "In Hoc Signo Vinces" (with this sign we win) is Portuguese 10 cruzados coin from King João III (first stamped October 1525). If that gold coin is indeed from that wreck (and a highly hypothetical contamination from another hypothetical wreck in the vicinity can be discarded) then the "terminus post quem" date for the loss of this ship would be October 1525 - it could not have wrecked earlier than this.
It is my educated opinion, based on whatever photographs and information have leaked out, that this site this definitely has the signature of a Portuguese ship, taking into account the geography and the guessed time period (first half of the 16th century?)- the treaties of Alcacovas (1479) and Tordesilhas (1494) as well as the Papal bules of Inter Caetera I, Eximia Devotiones, Inter Caetera II and Dudum Siquidem (1493) are all in favour of this hypothesis.
That gold coin (a "Portuguese", heavier and purer in gold than anything else before, struck between 1495 and 1538 only by two kings, Manuel I and João III, with the gold recently gained via their access to the subsaharian gold routes) was the favourite means of payment for the Indian pepper.
The copper ingots were there for the same reason: imported into Portugal free of tax by Holy Roman Empire bankers, such as the Fuggers and the Welsers, they were also used to buy pepper. Remember that, unlike the Spanish that conquered and populated Central and South America, the Portuguese only fought now and then and always to conquer a foothold into the Asian markets – they went there, all right, but they still had to buy the stuff, it was not theirs for the taking.
So, this must have been a ship going to India to trade there, not a returning ship.
From the Portuguese side, I am very happy that these artifacts belong now to the Namibian people - as part of Humanity's cultural heritage, I am pretty certain these remains will be studied in depth. After all, despite all our maritime tradition, there's not a single Portuguese ship from this period that has been archaeologicaly studied.
I sure hope the archaeologists involved, De Beers and the Nabimian Cultural Authorities can be the first ones the shed some light on this matter.
But here, in Portugal, I am burning with a lot of factual questions... are there any inscriptions on the cannons? I saw some ship timbers? How much survives of the ship itself? That wood and the information it carries is more precious to us than the gold...
SOurce: THE NAMIBIAN (08 May 2008)
"Quest to solve treasure ship riddle begins
WERNER MENGES
THE discovery of a treasure-laden shipwreck, estimated to be around 500 years old, in Namdeb's Mining Area 1 near Oranjemund early last month is only the first chapter in what could turn into a long slog of archaeological detective work to unravel the secrets of an ill-fated pioneer of sea travel off the Southern African coast.
The easy part of working on an archaeological site like this is the digging up of the site and recovering relevant material from it, archaeologist Dieter Noli, who played a leading part in the first examination of the wreck site in April, told The Namibian in a telephonic interview from Cape Town yesterday.
The hard work is analysing what was found at the site, he said.
That is expected to be painstaking labour that could take months before it is even known what the real significance of the discovery is, he said.
He is convinced, though, that he and his colleagues who will be helping to study the wreck and its contents will eventually be able to find out whose ship this was and what business it was on when it came to an end on that barren stretch of Namibian coastline, Noli indicated.
"We have to piece together the puzzle.
It's a fascinating story," he said.
The discovery of the ship has been worldwide news, with Namdeb claiming in its announcement of the find last week that this may be the oldest sub-Saharan shipwreck ever discovered.
Noli, who has been a consultant for Namdeb on archaeological matters since 1996, said he was scheduled to return to Oranjemund yesterday to carry out further work at the site and on items that had been recovered from the site so far.
He will have to see that the material collected from the site is stored properly, photographed, cleaned, and that each item - including each of thousands of gold and silver coins - is recorded, Noli said.
The material collected from the site includes thousands of Portuguese and Spanish gold coins, Portuguese silver coins, bronze cannons, tons of copper ingots, more than 50 elephant tusks, pewter tableware and navigational instruments.
The wreck itself has been "extremely badly battered" by the sea, with little of the original structure of the ship left, Noli said.
The site near Oranjemund has in the meantime been covered with wet sand again.
The site is about six metres below sea level and is now protected by a huge sea wall constructed out of sand by Namdeb as part of its mining operations in the area.
Noli said the site contains a lot of metal, including iron concretion - formed when rusting iron combines with other matter to form a hard, concrete-like material - which can deteriorate fast when exposed to the air and oxygen after so long under the seabed.
He said covering up the wreck site is a way of preserving the site for future further examination.
ARCHAEO 'CRIME SCENE' "We're dealing with a crime story here.
The wreck is like a crime scene," Noli said.
Here, though, the role of detectives will be played by archaeologists who will have to rely on clues gathered at the scene as they set out on a quest to figure out the history and end of a ship that last sailed the seas half a millennium ago.
Examining historical records in an attempt to get clues about the origins of the ship will also form an extremely important part of the work that lies ahead, Noli said.
With it increasingly looking like the wreck is of Portuguese origin, the Portuguese government has already offered to assist in the study of the wreck and the efforts to identify the ship, Noli said.
He said the coins found at the site offer only part of the clues about the ship's origin.
An estimated 70 per cent of the gold coins recovered so far were Spanish, with the remaining 30 per cent Portuguese coins, he said.
All of the silver coins found at the site were Portuguese, he said, adding that in a situation like this, the "small change" that were used can say more than the larger denominations of money found.
Some of the Spanish coins were minted with depictions of the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I, who ruled Spain in the late 1400s and early 1500s, on one side, while some of the Portuguese coins bear references to the Portuguese King John II, Noli said.
John, or João II, was on the Portuguese throne between 1481 and 1495.
Noli said in the late 1400s and early 1500s, the Portuguese were the main seafarers along this part of the African coast.
"It's looking more and more as if it's a Portuguese ship," he remarked.
When he first started working on the site in April, he was not expecting to find any money, Noli said.
That was because it appeared that the ship had been fully laden with cargo like copper and ivory.
As it is unlikely that a European ship would have been exporting ivory to Africa, the theory would then be that the ship had been heading back home when it came to its end, he said.
On the other hand, he added, the ship still had a lot of money on board - which would not have been expected either if it had just completed a trading trip, he indicated.
The ivory that was recovered may still provide key clues on the ship's movements.
It is possible to establish where the tusks came from - not only whether from African or Asian elephants, but also whether from a place like India or the west or east coasts of Africa, and even which parts of the coasts, Noli said.
He added that fragments of what appeared to be human bones had also been seen in the concretions at the site.
These were left intact at the site.
More material resembling bones was removed from the site, but will have to be studied further to determine whether it is of human origin, he said.
If it is found to be human remains, it would be treated with due respect and ultimately re-interred, he said.
The final intention of the study of the wreck is that all the material recovered from the site would remain in Namibia, as it belongs to the people of Namibia, Noli said.
According to Erica Ndalikokule, Acting Director of the National Heritage Council, all shipwrecks in Namibian waters or on the coast that are older than 35 years are classified as historic shipwrecks in terms of the National Heritage Act.
These wrecks, as well as artefacts recovered from them, belong to the State, according to the law."
From Todays Namibian, the bigger Men in Black are now in charge.... also note that this forum is mentioned....
"Govt takes over ancient shipwreck
JOHN GROBLER
THE Namibian Government has taken over responsibility for the excavation of the 500-year old shipwreck found at Oranjemund last month after the Office of the President was approached in this regard by the Portuguese government, The Namibian has established.
Namdeb spokesman Hilifa Mbako confirmed that three Ministers - Errki Nghimtina of Mines and Energy, Dr Abraham Iyambo of Fisheries and Marine Resources and Willem Konjore of the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture - flew to Oranjemund on Thursday to inspect the site.
He declined to give any further information, referring all queries to the Office of the President instead.
This office could not be reached for comment over the weekend.
Another well-placed source indicated that the Portuguese government had contacted President Hifikepunye Pohamba's office directly, which had led to him sending the ministerial delegation to Oranjemund.
"The Ministers have returned from their visit in Oranjemund with an order that nothing further should be said by anyone on the shipwreck until further notice," the source said.
Government has made it clear that it has now taken full charge of the matter, the source added.
In a written statement released to the media on Friday, Nghimtina confirmed the three Ministers' visit to the site of the discovery.
Nghimtina thanked Namdeb "for all the phenomenal work they have done in protecting the site where the wreck was found and providing security for the artefacts".
He added that "appropriate officials" from relevant Government departments, being archaeologists, the National Heritage Council and the National Museum of Namibia, "now need space and time to carry out vital analytical work to provide answers to the many questions that we have".
Because Government also needs to study all the information available at this stage to make an informed decision about the way forward, "there will be no further information or media comments on this matter - until further notice", Nghimtina stated.
Namdeb kept news of the sensational discovery secret for a month before announcing on April 30 to widespread international interest that they had found what is believed to be the oldest shipwreck discovered in sub-Saharan Africa.
The wreck was discovered by Namdeb geologist Bob Burrell, who came across copper ingots while excavating an ancient beach terrace in search of diamonds.
Mining in the area - which appeared to be below sea level and buried about six metres deep - was halted immediately and experts brought in to excavate the sensational find.
Further investigation brought to light brass swivel-cannons dating back 500 years, as well as a treasure hoard of Portuguese and Spanish gold and silver coins, 50 ivory tusks, pewter ware and ancient navigational equipment.
Under Namibian heritage laws, the wreck and its contents belong to the Namibian Government.
Some reports on an Oranjemund community online forum suggested that the gold alone was worth some US$2,2 million (about N$16 million).
The origin of the ship remains unclear, but Namdeb-retained archaeologist Dr Dieter Noli previously said the large amount of Portuguese silver found in the remains was significant.
Trade in ivory was at the time reserved for royalty, Noli said.
There is also intense speculation that the wreck might be one of four Portuguese royal caravels, one of which was captained by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, which disappeared off the Cape of Good Hope in May 1500 in a storm.
Dias's caravel was part of a fleet of 13 ships that had sailed from Portugal on March 9 1500 under the command of Pedro Alvarez Cabral and got lost at sea before discovering Brazil by accident a month later.
The fleet was to establish trade with the Far East, after Arab traders there had previously rejected as inferior Portuguese goods offered by another Portuguese seafarer, Vasco da Gama, on his first visit there, one website dedicated to maritime history suggested.
The fleet, already depleted by half at that stage, then headed east for the Indies before disaster struck off the southern African coast in middle May, various websites indicated.
Dias, who in late December 1488 was blown past the Cape by another such storm, was presumed lost at sea on May 29, various websites indicated."
Thanks Mike
The AZ also reports today
http://www.az.com.na/lokales/minister-besuchen-ausgrabung.66483.php
What does this statement mean.....? "The Ministers have returned from their visit in Oranjemund with an order that nothing further should be said by anyone on the shipwreck until further notice," the source said."
Is it just me..or are the men in black..... (carry on your answer in the other shipwreck topic pls....)
The Following are from todays Observer, Once again,
and I believe for some strange reason, Not the COmpany (Namdeb), but rather the government does not want anyone giving out photo's or discussing this newsworthy topic.... I cannot see what the reason for this would be. Please feel free to air your views in the Shipwreck TOpic.
Let me be the first to rant about that.
The more mistery , the more speculations
All kinds of thoughts go through my mind that i dont want to express here.
I think the Nam population has a right to be informed. Namdeb plays its part on retaining info, i guess on Gvnmt orders. A condition that is unbearable in the free world.
Wonder how those big boys can still walk with Namdeb sticking up the a....
In my head i hear the bells alarming, where is the freedom of speach and information vowed by those man in black.
All only Bla bla and no actions.
At least one can imagine how the treat the population by withholding info. I could get the impression, someone wants to hide part of the loot.
Sorry, thats the ideas one gets and would not surprise me looking at all the corruption going on.
At least i can write that here living in a free world. Lets see how long that freedom will last in Nam.
From today's Gazette, the Editor's comments...
Thanks Ernest!
Thanks Will Smith!
Thanks Tommy Lee Jones!
From TOdays Gazette, (Newsletter)
A press Release, so I guess the Men in Black won't mind me putting it here...
From Yesterdays Namibian....
From the Republikein Newspaper.....
From the Mail&Guardian in South Africa
" A mystery shipwreck laden with gold discovered by geologists off the coast of Namibia in April is a 16th-century Portuguese vessel that was bound for Asia, the country's Information Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The ship's rich bounty includes 2 000 gold coins and 1,4kg in silver coins, the ministry said in a statement.
Researchers also found navigational instruments among the remains of the ship, which was discovered by geologists prospecting for diamonds.
The shipwreck is believed to be the oldest discovered to date off the coasts of sub-Saharan Africa.
The vessel has been linked to Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, who was the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope on the tip of Africa, in his efforts to establish a sea route from the Atlantic to Asia in 1488. Diaz went missing in 1500.
Archaeologists and geologists from the United States, Portugal, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe had met in August and decided to carry out the excavation over a number of weeks in September, the statement said.
South Africa-based German archaeologist Dr Bruno Werz led the team.
Journalists will get a first peek at the ship on Monday.
The geologists made the find in April after clearing a stretch of seabed at the site and draining it. Besides the treasure, they also found cannons and elephant tusks on the seabed. -- Sapa-dpa"
From todays Gazette (Newsletter)
From Todays Online Republikein.
Here's from todays Republikein!
Alexandre' there's your Miquel and Francisco...
And Todays Namibian
"Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - Web posted at 6:30:02 AM GMT
Shipwreck explorers in race against time
WERNER MENGES at ORANJEMUND
TWO and a half weeks more - this is the only time a multinational team of archaeologists have left to salvage what they can from the site where the remains of a centuries-old shipwreck emerged from the ocean floor near Oranjemund on April 1.
A massive, man-made wall of sand that has pushed back the sea so that diamond-mining company Namdeb can extend its search for diamonds to what would normally be part of the seabed is set to be given over to the forces of nature again around October 10.
After that, the sea will reclaim what it had kept hidden for hundreds of years.
The site that archaeologists have described as a historic find - one that has produced probably the largest hoard of historic gold in Africa outside Egypt - will again be covered by water.
The place where a Namdeb bulldozer driver, Kaapanda Shatika, noticed what turned out to be copper ingots in the sands of the ocean floor, is normally some seven metres under sea level, Dr Bruno Werz, an archaeologist from the Southern African Institute of Maritime Archaeology, said at the site on Monday.
The find has since resulted in the recovery of around 13 tons of copper ingots, about eight tons of tin, and around 600 kilograms of ivory during an initial excavation at the site in April, fellow archaeologist Dr Dieter Noli said at the site.
"That obviously is a very substantial find," he said.
Added to that are cannons, cannonballs of stone and iron, three anchors, and other artefacts such as pewter plates and bowls.
And then there is gold: 21,15 kg of the fabled yellow metal so far.
Of the more than 2 000 gold coins found so far, about 70 per cent is Spanish, with the remaining 30 per cent Portuguese.
About 1,15 kg of silver coins has also been found.
"That's probably the most gold that's ever been found in Africa, outside the Valley of the Kings in Egypt," Noli said.
The coins have been transported to the vaults of the Bank of Namibia in Windhoek.
According to Werz it is thought that the site holds the remains of the back portion of a three-mast Portuguese trading vessel, which had been about 30 metres in length when it sailed from Europe down the coast of Africa on a doomed voyage to Asia.
It is Werz's theory that the ship may have sunk after striking a rock.
As it went to the bottom of the ocean, weighed down by its cargo of metals, ivory, weapons and other goods, the ship's masts probably broke, and with that the ship structure also broke apart.
The heavy parts of the ship, such as sections of its structure, ingots and other material found at the excavation site, remained at the site of the sinking, while other material, such as some elephant tusks and a part of the mast structure that have been found kilometers to the north of the site, were washed in that direction with the ocean's currents, he said.
Because the ship met its end on an isolated piece of coastline that is also situated in the strict security zone of the Sperrgebiet, it has been out of reach of wreck hunters who might otherwise have plundered the ship and its cargo, Werz said.
The result is that this wreck is unique, because most of its contents are still on the site, which is very rare to find, he said.
"This is a cultural treasure of immense proportions," Werz remarked.
Portuguese archaeologist Francisco Alves, who has worked at the site since a second phase of excavation started earlier this month, said the ship was a merchant crown ship of Portugal.
For Alves, the dotted pattern of a circle on some of the Portuguese gold coins found so far has provided a valuable clue that this ship could not date back further than late in the year 1525, because the minting of coins with that type of pattern only started in October 1525.
This should lay to rest speculation that the ship may have been that of Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, whose ship went missing in a storm off the Cape coast in 1500.
Another clue pointing to the Portuguese origins of the ship has been found on some of the copper ingots that bear a trident-shaped marking.
This was a marking that was used by the Fugger family - a fabulously wealthy family of bankers in 16th century Europe who were also suppliers of metals to Portugal in that era, according to Alves.
The archaeologists at the site, also including Dr Webber Ndoro of the African World Heritage Fund, who is based in Johannesburg, all said they were removing as much archaeological material as could be found before it is again surrendered to the ocean.
Only once this part of their taskwas complete - they have been told that they have until about October 10 to get this done, according to Werz - will they be able to get around to analysing the artefacts and focusing on their conservation.
Werz said it is a task that could take decades to complete."
I do not think that itwould be ethical to rip an entire page with all the photo;s, but here is the link for those of you that want to see more wreck photo's, compliments of the Republikein and that nutter CHristo.....! 23_146_26 swink
http://www.republikein.com.na/politiek-en-nasionale/herwinning-van-skatskip-by-oranjemund.73559.php
Here we go, from NEWS24
"Gold-laden wreck to be raised
Oct 02 2008 09:00:35:757AM
A gold-laden, 500-year-old Portuguese shipwreck discovered by chance off Namibia will be salvaged by the end of next week.
Lisbon - A gold-laden, 500-year-old Portuguese shipwreck discovered by chance off Namibia will be salvaged by the end of next week, the ministry of culture in Lisbon said on Wednesday.
A team of archaeologists from Portugal, the United States and Zimbabwe are working to raise the wreck before October 10 - the deadline set by Namibian government officials owing to huge costs involved.
Last week, the Namibian culture ministry said the rescue operation was costing some N$100 000 (R103 680) per day.
All that is keeping the wreck intact is an artificial sand wall created by mine workers with bulldozers to push back the sea for diamond dredging.
However, the Portuguese government said that its "fundamental interest" is "to guarantee the complete protection" of the ship and the adjacent sea-bed's remaining cargo.
The ship was found in April during the diamond dredging operation.
It contained over 2 300 gold coins weighing some 21 kilograms, six bronze cannons, silver, several tonnes of copper, huge elephant tusks and a variety of weapons - all tugged out of the sand.
Bad weather
Experts believe more treasure will be found under its resting place when the salvage operation is complete.
The statement said the rescue work should have been finished by October 2, but recent bad weather would now delay completion until October 10.
"The relics will be rescued by the expected date for the end of the operations," a spokesperson for the Portuguese ministry of culture told AFP.
The abundance of objects unearthed where the ship ran aground along Namibia's notorious Skeleton coast, where hundreds of vessels were wrecked over the centuries, has amazed even hardened experts.
Under international maritime laws, a wreck and its treasures belong to the country where they were found, and the initial haul of coins is now locked in the vaults of the Bank of Namibia in Windhoek.
The government said it plans at some point to mount an exhibition of the findings and later erect a special museum in Oranjemund to house the incredible collection. "
From todays Republikein:
"Skatskip nou veilig op land
DIE São João (Bom Jesus), 'n indrukwekkende driedek Portugese handelskip wat gedurende 1533 aan die weskus van Afrika vergaan het, is na 500 jaar uit sy seegraf op Oranjemund gelig. Die herwinning van die sestiende eeuse skeepswrak het vandeesweek 'n hoogtepunt bereik toe die oorblywende houtraamwerk ten aanskoue van 'n hoëvlak regeringsafvaardiging van die wraktoneel verwyder is.
In nog 'n opspraakwekkende deurbraak het argeoloë op die toneel nou ook op Arabiese munstukke uit die sestiende eeu afgekom. "Ons is hoogs tevrede. Alles het goed afgeloop," het dr. Peingeondjabi Shipoh, die hoof van die herwinning- en reddingsoperasie op Oranjemund aan Republikein gesê.
Navorsing in Duitsland en Portugal het intussen aan die lig gebring dat die skip met sy vrag skatte moontlik die Bom Jesus of S. Joao van kaptein Dom Francisco de Noronha kan wees. Portugese geskiedkundige werke het egter aangedui dat dié vaartuig van die 1533 armada by die Kaap van Goeie Hoop gesink het.
Geen verdere besonderhede is bekend nie. 'n Portugese geskiedkundige en mariene argeoloog, dr. Alexandre Monteiro, wat vroeër vanjaar verantwoordelik was vir die identifisering van die meer as 2 000 muntstukke uit die skeepswrak, het aan Republikein gesê sy aannames oor die identiteit van die skip is gegrond op geskiedkundige verwysings en kruisverwysings asook 'n "ingeligte raaiskoot" dat die wrak moontlik die Bom Jesus is.
"My ingeligte mening is dat dit moontlik die oorblyfsels kan wees van die vaartuig van (skeepskaptein) Dom Francisco de Noronha, moontlik die Nau São João Boaventura van die eerste vloot van 1533 wat onder bevel gestaan het van Dom João Pereira. "Die vorige kapteins (van die São João Boaventura) was Lourenço de Paiva, Diogo Brandão, Dom Gonçalo Coutinho, Simão da Veiga en Nuno Furtado de Mendoça," het die navorser per e-pos uit Duitsland laat weet.
Dr. Monteiro het vroeër ook die muntstukke geïdentifiseer as cruzados wat vanaf 1525 geslaan is. Die bevinding het alle bespiegeling dat die skip aan die ontdekkingsreisiger, Bartolomeu Dias, behoort het, nek omgedraai. Dr. Monteiro was ook verantwoordelik vir die identifisering van die etlike tonne koperballe aan die Duitse Fugger-kenmerk.
Dr. Shipoh, wat pas uit Oranjemund teruggekeer het waar hy betrokke was by die lig van die oorblywende houtraamwerk van die skip, het gister gesê hy is nog nie ingelig oor die moontlike identiteit van die skip nie. Dr. Shipoh was saam met die Minister van Jeug, Nasionale Diens, Sport en Kultuur, mnr. Willem Konjore, die Minister van Myne en Energie, mnr. Erkki Nghimtina en die Minister van Inligting en Kommunikasietegnologie, mnr. Joel Kaapanda, op Oranjemund.
Dr. Shipoh het ook aangekondig dat die Regering toestemming verleen het dat die herwinningsoperasie so lank kan duur as wat nodig is en dat geen sperdatum nou meer geld vir die verwydering van die skip en sy vrag nie. "Die navorsers sou gister die laaste houtstukke verwyder het en daarna eers kyk wat nog onder die wrak is.
Ons het nog goue en silwer munstukke gekry en ook munstukke uit Arabië. "Hierdie is nie nou meer 'n noodreddingspoging nie, maar 'n totale herwinning. "Daar is 'n algemene reël dat herwinningspanne altyd iets op die toneel agterlaat.
In hierdie geval is die toneel sewe meter onder die watervlak en daar bestaan geen rede waarom van die wrakstukke of artefakte agtergelaat moet word nie. "Die plek gaan deeglik gemerk word vir toekomstige verwysings en vir die nageslagte en alles wat gevind is, sal in 'n museum bewaar word," het dr. Shipoh gesê."
For some strange reason, the Burger Newspaper in ZA , just ran this story..... way way behind the rest of the papers..
"500 Jaar later: Skeepswrak vol skatte aan diamantkus
2009-09-15 09:37
Druk hierdie artikel
Dieter Noli tel goue munte uit die emmer in die hoed
Foto's · Leser se Foto's · Nuus in Foto's Stuur vir ons jou foto's · Stuur vir ons jou foto's
Michelle Linnert
Die fassinerende verhaal van die skat van die seilskip Bom Jesus wat 500 jaar later gevind is en beskou word as een van die wêreld se grootste argeologiese vondse van sy tyd. MICHELLE LINNERT het gaan vasstel oor dié uiters seldsame historiese vonds, wat dalk ons buurland Namibië se lotto-kaartjie aan toerisme kan beteken?
Hierdie storie was uit die staanspoor 'n absolute móét.
Dr. Dieter Noli, 'n vryskut-argeoloog by De Beers sedert 1995, is nogal 'n moeilike man om op te spoor.
Ná heelwat navrae kom ons toe uiteindelik uit by dié vriendelike en innemende man wat skattejag 'n nuwe naam gegee het.
Dis beslis nie elke dag dat enige lewende siel 2?159 goue munte van 500?jaar oud, van die seebodem verwyder nie.
Voeg daarby die silwer, ivoor, koper, tin, kanonne, gewere en diesulke antieke artikels wat op die Oranjemund-skeepswrak gevind is, en jy het die resep vir 'n baie goeie fiksie-verhaal.
Wat hierdie vonds egter meer spesiaal maak, is dat dit op 'n stuk strand ryk aan diamante gevind is. Om meer spesifiek te wees, De Beers se Sperrgebiet, of Verbode Gebied. Die naam sê alles.
Die verhaal, soos Noli dit opgewonde vertel, gee deurgaans hoendervleis. Dis veral so omdat dit nou oral ter wêreld maar broekskeur gaan as gevolg van die resessie.
'n Mens wil amper jaloers raak dat jy waarskynlik nooit in jou leeftyd een so 'n goue munt sal raakloop nie.
Maar nie Noli nie. Vir hom en sy span was dit nie 'n selfsugtige vonds nie. Inteendeel. Die skat kan dalk nog die bloei van Namib-iese toerisme teweegbring, en dit het die wêreld van maritieme argeologie 'n aansienlike hupstoot gegee.
Woestynman Noli se skat
Noli is by uitstek eintlik 'n woestyn-geoloog wat ook 'n kursus in maritieme duik gedoen het.
Sy redenasie was dat De Beers se werksaamhede aan hierdie deel van Namibië omtrent 300?km van kuslyn ver strek.
Dis hier waar dié ryk internasionale maatskappy amper letterlik diamante van die strand optel.
Noli self is geen vreemdeling vir vreemde vondse nie. In sy loopbaan daar het hy al digby die 600 plekke van argeologiese belang ontdek.
Hy vertel skertsend hoe mense hom uitgelag het as hy op hul vraag, oor wat hy hoop om in die woestyn te ontdek, ewe tong-in-die-kies geantwoord het: "?'n Spaanse swaard en 'n sak vol goud."
Noli sou nie toe kon raai dat sy woorde amper profeties was nie. Op 17 April 2008 sou hy met 'n hele krat vol swaarde, en 'n hoed vol Spaanse goud voor hom sit.
"In daardie stadium was dit werklik 'n droom wat bewaarheid is – 'n onmoontlike droom.
"Hoeveel woestynargeoloë kry uiteindelik te doen met die opgrawing van 'n 500?jaar oue skip?"
Wat die vonds selfs meer merkwaardig maak, is dat dit waarskynlik nooit gekry sou gewees het nie.
De Beers het vir die doel van hul projek 'n deel van die see oor sowat 200?m teruggestoot. Hulle dam dus 'n sekere gemerkte gebied op.
Dan gaan hulle voort en pomp die oorblywende water uit die afgedamde gebied. Dit is gewoonlik op die seebodem, wat nou heeltemal naak daar uitsien, waar hulle hul diamante ontgin.
As hierdie gebied langer as 24?uur nie bewerk word nie, en "teruggegee" word aan die see, neem dit net enkele maande vir die see om dit weer in 'n volwaardige strand te omskep.
Dit was juis in die verloop van wat 'n gewone dag op die diamantproduksielyn moes wees, dat die skat ontdek is. Heel toevallig, en net betyds.
"Dit is hoekom daar aanvanklik so baie tydsdruk was, en hoekom ons die eerste opgrawing in twee weke moes voltooi: Dit kos omtrent R100?000 per dag om die terrein droog te hou.
"As ek nie in daardie twee weke waarin hulle opgedam het, kon demonstreer hoekom dit die moeite en geld werd was om die terrein te ontgin nie, sou hulle dit weer gevloed het sodra hulle klaar daar gemyn het.
"Omdat die see in hierdie deel van die wêreld so rof is en geen duikwerk – dus ook geen verdere opgrawings – toelaat nie, sou dit beteken alles sou net so teruggegaan het see toe, om nooit weer gesien te word nie."
hoe is die skat ontdek?
Die oorblyfsels van die skip is reeds op 1 April 2008 ontdek, toe hoofgeoloog Bob Burrell 'n paar kopergietsels op die myngebied gevind het. Hy het onmiddellik die myn-operasie laat staak en die terrein laat afsper.
By nadere ondersoek het Burrell en sy span twee items, wat moontlik kanonne kon wees, gevind. Hulle het foto's van die artefakte geneem en via e-pos aan Noli gestuur.
Noli het dit geïdentifiseer, en is toe gevra om voort te gaan met die opgrawing. Op 11 April begin hy toe met sy opgrawings.
Op 17 April loop 'n werknemer van De Beers, Hermann Josef, die oggend om 9:00 oor die Sperrgebiet.
Iets in die sand tref sy oog. Hy buk en tel twee gitswart en verroeste medaljes op.
Die eerste silwer munte is gevind.
Binne minute vind sy kollega, Willem Kuyonana, die derde silwer munt.
'n Halfuur en baie opwinding later kom Titus Shekonko met die vonds van 'n leeftyd vorendag – 'n enkele goue munt.
Voordat Noli daardie aand huis toe sou gaan, sou hy heelwat meer as 700 goue munte, blinknuut, uit die lappie aarde van 300?x?250?x?40?mm, waarin hy tot skemer toe gewerk het, haal.
Vir elke 100?munte wat hy afetel het, het hy een verteenwoordigende goue munt op sy hoed se rand geplaas. Dit is in hierdie posisie, nadat die ander werknemers reeds almal terug is na hul onderskeie hostelle, wat die hoofverkenningsgeoloog Juergen Jacob en geoloë Gerrit Viviers en James Alexander hom hier aangetref het.
Noli was so besig aan't goud uithaal dat hy net opgehou het toe daar niks meer lig was om te by te werk nie.
Op daardie eerste dag het hy en sy span van omtrent tien Namdeb-werknemers 'n allemintige 11.5?kg van die totale 21.15?kg goud wat uiteindelik gekry is, verwyder.
Noli-hulle moes nou toesien dat die munte na veiligheid gebring word. Hulle het besluit om dit soos diamante te behandel.
Die mynmagnaat se protokol vereis dat diamante in die kluis van 'n spesiale kamer by Myngebied Nommer 1, in die Sperrgebiet, geberg word. Noli-hulle is reguit daarheen.
Die munte is gewas en in pakkies opgemaak, en toe onder die wakende gluur van die kameras in die kluis weggesluit.
wat is nog gevind?
Die goue munte was almal in uitstekende toestand, want goud vaar baie goed in soutwater, ook oor lang tydperke.
Ongelukkig kan dieselfde nie van die res van dié waardevolle skeepsvrag gesê word nie.
Van die 2?kg silwer wat gevind is, het daar net verweerde medaljes oorgebly.
Die ivoor is in baie haglike toestand en kan glad nie vir ornamentele doeleindes aangewend word nie.
Tussen al die goud en silwer, koper en tin deur, is daar ook ander artefakte gevind wat daaglikse gebruiksartikels soos koperpannetjies, eetgerei, ensovoorts ingesluit het. Die belangrikste van al hierdie artikels, is die uiters seldsame "Astrolabe".
In die algemeen is dié seevaardersinstrument uiters seldsaam, maar hierdie een kan selfs meer besonders wees.
"Dit is in alle waarskynlikheid die oudste maritieme een van sy soort wat tot nog toe gevind is.
"Dit is waarskynlik ook die enkel mees waardevolle item wat op die wrak gevind is, en wat letterlik meer as sy gewig in goud werd is."
Maar wie se skat is dit en wie het vir alles betaal?
Aan die einde van die tweede opgrawing het die span altesame 21,5?kg goud, 2?kg silwer, 6,5?ton tin, 20?ton koper en 600?kg ivoor uit daardie lappie aarde gehaal.
Wêreldgesog, maar aan wie behoort dit dan?
Noli verduidelik dat die vergane skip onder die Portugese vlag geseil het, dus sou 'n mens dink die vonds behoort eintlik aan Portugal, oftewel die vlagland.
Maar, volgens hom is enige vondse aan 'n land se kus die eiendom van die betrokke kusland. In hierdie geval natuurlik Namibië.
Daar is egter 'n kinkel in die kabel, want internasionale maritieme wetgewing verklaar dat as die vergane skip egter 'n staatskip was, die vonds deur die vlagland opgeëis mag word.
Volgens Noli is dit egter die gebruik om die skatte van 'n skeepswrak, staatskip of te nie, aan die kusland te besorg, mits die laasgenoemde kan bewys dat hy die vonds met die nodige respek en waardigheid, maar ook sekuriteit behandel.
Dus het Namibië met dié skatte opgeëindig.
Namdeb het vir die eerste opgrawings betaal, wat die grootste deel van die skat opgemaak het.
Tydens die tweede ronde, wat deur die Namibiese regering gefinansier is, het dié regering 'n hele span oorsese geoloë ingeroep om te kom help soek na die oorblyfsels van die skip, maar ook met verdere uitkenning van artefakte.
In hierdie proses het die span 'n verdere 1?171 artefakte opgespoor, waaronder nóg 36 goue munte.
DIE EINDE
Ongelukkig het die Bom Jesus nooit sy reis voltooi nie.
Gelukkig vir ons, 500?jaar later, het De Beers se belange aan daardie kus, Dieter Noli se vindingrykheid en die gulhartigheid van die Portugese gesorg vir een van die skatte wat kan help met 'n bloeiende toerismebedryf in die streek, indien daar die regte soort museum tot stand gebring sou word wat die artefakte ten beste kan ten toon stel.
"My skip het ingekom met die sink van die ander skip.
"Ek het toe my Spaanse swaard en my sak vol goud gekry," het Noli gesê.
En wat is die waarde van die skat? "Dit sou nie onrealisties wees om te verwag dat die goud alleen meer as R100?miljoen sou inbring as dit aan versamelaars verkoop sou word nie.
"Maar, aangesien nie een enkele artikel van die wrak ooit verkoop sal word nie, is die vraag absoluut akademies."
Skeepswrak vol skatte aan diamantkus ontdek
Hierdie storie was uit die staanspoor 'n absolute móét.
Dr. Dieter Noli, 'n vryskut-argeoloog by De Beers sedert 1995, is nogal 'n moeilike man om op te spoor.
Ná heelwat navrae kom ons toe uiteindelik uit by dié vriendelike en innemende man wat skattejag 'n nuwe naam gegee het.
Dis beslis nie elke dag dat enige lewende siel 2?159 goue munte van 500?jaar oud, van die seebodem verwyder nie.
Voeg daarby die silwer, ivoor, koper, tin, kanonne, gewere en diesulke antieke artikels wat op die Oranjemund-skeepswrak gevind is, en jy het die resep vir 'n baie goeie fiksie-verhaal.
Wat hierdie vonds egter meer spesiaal maak, is dat dit op 'n stuk strand ryk aan diamante gevind is. Om meer spesifiek te wees, De Beers se Sperrgebiet, of Verbode Gebied. Die naam sê alles.
Die verhaal, soos Noli dit opgewonde vertel, gee deurgaans hoendervleis. Dis veral so omdat dit nou oral ter wêreld maar broekskeur gaan as gevolg van die resessie.
'n Mens wil amper jaloers raak dat jy waarskynlik nooit in jou leeftyd een so 'n goue munt sal raakloop nie.
Maar nie Noli nie. Vir hom en sy span was dit nie 'n selfsugtige vonds nie. Inteendeel. Die skat kan dalk nog die bloei van Namib-iese toerisme teweegbring, en dit het die wêreld van maritieme argeologie 'n aansienlike hupstoot gegee.
Woestynman Noli se skat
Noli is by uitstek eintlik 'n woestyn-geoloog wat ook 'n kursus in maritieme duik gedoen het.
Sy redenasie was dat De Beers se werksaamhede aan hierdie deel van Namibië omtrent 300?km van kuslyn ver strek.
Dis hier waar dié ryk internasionale maatskappy amper letterlik diamante van die strand optel.
Noli self is geen vreemdeling vir vreemde vondse nie. In sy loopbaan daar het hy al digby die 600 plekke van argeologiese belang ontdek.
Hy vertel skertsend hoe mense hom uitgelag het as hy op hul vraag, oor wat hy hoop om in die woestyn te ontdek, ewe tong-in-die-kies geantwoord het: "?'n Spaanse swaard en 'n sak vol goud."
Noli sou nie toe kon raai dat sy woorde amper profeties was nie. Op 17 April 2008 sou hy met 'n hele krat vol swaarde, en 'n hoed vol Spaanse goud voor hom sit.
"In daardie stadium was dit werklik 'n droom wat bewaarheid is – 'n onmoontlike droom.
"Hoeveel woestynargeoloë kry uiteindelik te doen met die opgrawing van 'n 500?jaar oue skip?"
Wat die vonds selfs meer merkwaardig maak, is dat dit waarskynlik nooit gekry sou gewees het nie.
De Beers het vir die doel van hul projek 'n deel van die see oor sowat 200?m teruggestoot. Hulle dam dus 'n sekere gemerkte gebied op.
Dan gaan hulle voort en pomp die oorblywende water uit die afgedamde gebied. Dit is gewoonlik op die seebodem, wat nou heeltemal naak daar uitsien, waar hulle hul diamante ontgin.
As hierdie gebied langer as 24?uur nie bewerk word nie, en "teruggegee" word aan die see, neem dit net enkele maande vir die see om dit weer in 'n volwaardige strand te omskep.
Dit was juis in die verloop van wat 'n gewone dag op die diamantproduksielyn moes wees, dat die skat ontdek is. Heel toevallig, en net betyds.
"Dit is hoekom daar aanvanklik so baie tydsdruk was, en hoekom ons die eerste opgrawing in twee weke moes voltooi: Dit kos omtrent R100?000 per dag om die terrein droog te hou.
"As ek nie in daardie twee weke waarin hulle opgedam het, kon demonstreer hoekom dit die moeite en geld werd was om die terrein te ontgin nie, sou hulle dit weer gevloed het sodra hulle klaar daar gemyn het.
"Omdat die see in hierdie deel van die wêreld so rof is en geen duikwerk – dus ook geen verdere opgrawings – toelaat nie, sou dit beteken alles sou net so teruggegaan het see toe, om nooit weer gesien te word nie."
hoe is die skat ontdek?
Die oorblyfsels van die skip is reeds op 1 April 2008 ontdek, toe hoofgeoloog Bob Burrell 'n paar kopergietsels op die myngebied gevind het. Hy het onmiddellik die myn-operasie laat staak en die terrein laat afsper.
By nadere ondersoek het Burrell en sy span twee items, wat moontlik kanonne kon wees, gevind. Hulle het foto's van die artefakte geneem en via e-pos aan Noli gestuur.
Noli het dit geïdentifiseer, en is toe gevra om voort te gaan met die opgrawing. Op 11 April begin hy toe met sy opgrawings.
Op 17 April loop 'n werknemer van De Beers, Hermann Josef, die oggend om 9:00 oor die Sperrgebiet.
Iets in die sand tref sy oog. Hy buk en tel twee gitswart en verroeste medaljes op.
Die eerste silwer munte is gevind.
Binne minute vind sy kollega, Willem Kuyonana, die derde silwer munt.
'n Halfuur en baie opwinding later kom Titus Shekonko met die vonds van 'n leeftyd vorendag – 'n enkele goue munt.
Voordat Noli daardie aand huis toe sou gaan, sou hy heelwat meer as 700 goue munte, blinknuut, uit die lappie aarde van 300?x?250?x?40?mm, waarin hy tot skemer toe gewerk het, haal.
Vir elke 100?munte wat hy afetel het, het hy een verteenwoordigende goue munt op sy hoed se rand geplaas. Dit is in hierdie posisie, nadat die ander werknemers reeds almal terug is na hul onderskeie hostelle, wat die hoofverkenningsgeoloog Juergen Jacob en geoloë Gerrit Viviers en James Alexander hom hier aangetref het.
Noli was so besig aan't goud uithaal dat hy net opgehou het toe daar niks meer lig was om te by te werk nie.
Op daardie eerste dag het hy en sy span van omtrent tien Namdeb-werknemers 'n allemintige 11.5?kg van die totale 21.15?kg goud wat uiteindelik gekry is, verwyder.
Noli-hulle moes nou toesien dat die munte na veiligheid gebring word. Hulle het besluit om dit soos diamante te behandel.
Die mynmagnaat se protokol vereis dat diamante in die kluis van 'n spesiale kamer by Myngebied Nommer 1, in die Sperrgebiet, geberg word. Noli-hulle is reguit daarheen.
Die munte is gewas en in pakkies opgemaak, en toe onder die wakende gluur van die kameras in die kluis weggesluit.
wat is nog gevind?
Die goue munte was almal in uitstekende toestand, want goud vaar baie goed in soutwater, ook oor lang tydperke.
Ongelukkig kan dieselfde nie van die res van dié waardevolle skeepsvrag gesê word nie.
Van die 2?kg silwer wat gevind is, het daar net verweerde medaljes oorgebly.
Die ivoor is in baie haglike toestand en kan glad nie vir ornamentele doeleindes aangewend word nie.
Tussen al die goud en silwer, koper en tin deur, is daar ook ander artefakte gevind wat daaglikse gebruiksartikels soos koperpannetjies, eetgerei, ensovoorts ingesluit het. Die belangrikste van al hierdie artikels, is die uiters seldsame "Astrolabe".
In die algemeen is dié seevaardersinstrument uiters seldsaam, maar hierdie een kan selfs meer besonders wees.
"Dit is in alle waarskynlikheid die oudste maritieme een van sy soort wat tot nog toe gevind is.
"Dit is waarskynlik ook die enkel mees waardevolle item wat op die wrak gevind is, en wat letterlik meer as sy gewig in goud werd is."
Maar wie se skat is dit en wie het vir alles betaal?
Aan die einde van die tweede opgrawing het die span altesame 21,5?kg goud, 2?kg silwer, 6,5?ton tin, 20?ton koper en 600?kg ivoor uit daardie lappie aarde gehaal.
Wêreldgesog, maar aan wie behoort dit dan?
Noli verduidelik dat die vergane skip onder die Portugese vlag geseil het, dus sou 'n mens dink die vonds behoort eintlik aan Portugal, oftewel die vlagland.
Maar, volgens hom is enige vondse aan 'n land se kus die eiendom van die betrokke kusland. In hierdie geval natuurlik Namibië.
Daar is egter 'n kinkel in die kabel, want internasionale maritieme wetgewing verklaar dat as die vergane skip egter 'n staatskip was, die vonds deur die vlagland opgeëis mag word.
Volgens Noli is dit egter die gebruik om die skatte van 'n skeepswrak, staatskip of te nie, aan die kusland te besorg, mits die laasgenoemde kan bewys dat hy die vonds met die nodige respek en waardigheid, maar ook sekuriteit behandel.
Dus het Namibië met dié skatte opgeëindig.
Namdeb het vir die eerste opgrawings betaal, wat die grootste deel van die skat opgemaak het.
Tydens die tweede ronde, wat deur die Namibiese regering gefinansier is, het dié regering 'n hele span oorsese geoloë ingeroep om te kom help soek na die oorblyfsels van die skip, maar ook met verdere uitkenning van artefakte.
In hierdie proses het die span 'n verdere 1?171 artefakte opgespoor, waaronder nóg 36 goue munte.
Ongelukkig het die Bom Jesus nooit sy reis voltooi nie.
Gelukkig vir ons, 500?jaar later, het De Beers se belange aan daardie kus, Dieter Noli se vindingrykheid en die gulhartigheid van die Portugese gesorg vir een van die skatte wat kan help met 'n bloeiende toerismebedryf in die streek, indien daar die regte soort museum tot stand gebring sou word wat die artefakte ten beste kan ten toon stel.
"My skip het ingekom met die sink van die ander skip.
"Ek het toe my Spaanse swaard en my sak vol goud gekry," het Noli gesê.
En wat is die waarde van die skat? "Dit sou nie onrealisties wees om te verwag dat die goud alleen meer as R100?miljoen sou inbring as dit aan versamelaars verkoop sou word nie.
"Maar, aangesien nie een enkele artikel van die wrak ooit verkoop sal word nie, is die vraag absoluut akademies."
Dit was 4 Maart 1533. Die Bom Jesus, 'n Portugese staatskip, het gereed gemaak vir 'n lang en uitmergelende tog na Indië om speserye te gaan koop.
Die skeepskaptein was die edelman Dom Francisco de Noronha.
Die skip is gelaai met daaglikse gebruiksartikels, maar ook met die volgende vrag: 'n kis vol goud, heelwat silwer, ivoor van amper 'n ton en tin- en kopergietsels.
Die Bom Jesus was ook gelaai met gewere, kanonne en swaarde.
Daar is onder die vlag van koning Joao III van Portugal uit Lissabon geseil.
Die Bom Jesus het al langs die westelike skouer van donker Afrika na die suide geseil, in die rigting van die Kaap die Goeie Hoop. By die ewenaar is in 'n wye kurwe na wes, oor die Suid-Atlantiese Oseaan, tot naby Suid-Amerika geswaai.
Voordat dit egter daardie vasteland se kus kon bereik, is weer suid en daarna oos gelaveer. Die doel was om die suidpunt van Afrika, die dodelike Kaap die Goeie Hoop, só verby te steek.
HOE HET DIE SKIP TOT SY EINDE GEKOM?
Die Bom Jesus is vir die laaste keer hier gesien. Hy sou nooit verby die Kaap kom nie.
Die skip het in 'n woeste storm beland.
Dalk was daar ook 'n epidemie aan boord wat die bemanning stadigaan uitgewis het en daar toe nie genoeg hande aan boord was om hom te probeer red nie.
Daar kon ook ander skade aan die skip gewees het. In hierdie swak toestand is hy deur die genadelose, stormsterk winde 'n afstand van omtrent 800?km noordwaarts teen die weskus gedryf.
Naby die hedendaagse Oranjemund het die kaptein uiteindelik moed verloor. Hy kon nie die skip red nie. Hy het reeds te veel water gesluk en die bemanning was uitgeput.
Die kaptein het toe besluit om die skip landwaarts te stuur.
Naby die strand is 'n rots getref en die skip het begin opbreek. As enige siele kon oorleef en die strand haal, sou hulle deur die woestyn aan hul noordelike, suidelike en oostelike kant moes kom om te oorleef.
Een of twee gelukkige bemanningslede sou dalk die 18?km suid na die Oranjerivier en vars water haal, maar wat dan? Afrika tóé was steeds donker, onverken, onherbergsaam en wild.
Niemand weet wat verder gebeur het nie. Maar een ding is seker: die Bom Jesus het 'n paar antwoorde agtergelaat in daardie desperate ure in Julie of Augustus van 1533. Met sy stranding het hy gesorg vir een van die rykste skatte wat ooit van die seebodem verwyder is."
LINK: http://www.dieburger.com/Content/Reis/Nuus/1696/c188ca9d8b1048028ae3ad8f35575feb/15-09-2009-09-37/500_Jaar_later_Skeepswrak_vol_skatte_aan_diamantkus#
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Here is the link to the National Geographic Website, who have done an article on our shipwreck...
LINK: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/10/shipwreck/smith-text/1