Colombia unveils treasures from 300-year-old shipwreck

Colombian authorities display the first artifacts recovered from the San Jose shipwreck, which sank in 1708.

On 20/11, Colombian authorities displayed three gold and bronze coins, a cannon, and a porcelain cup, the first items recovered from the San Jose shipwreck in the Caribbean Sea. These artifacts surfaced 10 years after the vessel's discovery.

The San Jose, a Spanish galleon, sank near Cartagena in June 1708, with only a few of its 600 crew members surviving. British records suggest an internal explosion, while Spain maintains the ship was struck by cannon fire during an engagement with the British navy.

Three coins recovered from the San Jose shipwreck, unveiled by Colombian authorities on 20/11. *Photo: Colombian Ministry of Culture*

The San Jose was then en route from Panama to Spain, laden with chests of emeralds and 200 tons of gold coins. Treasure hunters had relentlessly sought the vessel before Colombia announced the shipwreck's discovery in 2015.

Spain asserts ownership of the ship and its cargo, citing a United Nations convention to which Colombia is not a party. Separately, the indigenous Qhara Qhara community in Bolivia claims the riches were stolen from their ancestors.

Sea Search Armada, a US-based salvage company, also disputes the ship's ownership. The company claims it first located the shipwreck over 40 years ago and has sued Colombia at the Permanent Court of Arbitration of the United Nations, seeking USD 10 billion.

A cannon recovered from the San Jose shipwreck. *Photo: Colombian Ministry of Culture*

Colombia maintains its commitment to surveying the shipwreck for scientific and cultural purposes. The ship's treasure is estimated to be worth billions of US dollars. Deep-sea cameras have recorded artifacts including an anchor and cargo such as: jars, glass bottles, cannons, porcelain, pottery, and items potentially made of gold.

Researchers have collected sediment samples from the ship for analysis to "better understand the cause of the shipwreck", said Alhena Caicedo, Director of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH).