Highway crews unearthed a century-old shipwreck beneath a Florida highway during routine construction work earlier this month.
The 6 meter long mysterious ship, believed to date from the 19th century, was discovered intact near the Bridge of Lions in Saint Augustine.
It was buried under 8 to 10 feet of sediment and found with artifacts including a leather boot, coins from 1869 and a lantern.
Archaeologists are now rushing to stabilize the ship and have only a short time to extract it before the drying wood begins to rot.
Construction was temporarily halted while the Florida Department of Transportation worked with archaeological firm SEARCH to work on the shipwreck.
Highway crews unearthed a century-old shipwreck beneath a Florida highway during routine construction work earlier this month
The 6-meter-long mysterious ship, believed to date from the 19th century, was discovered intact near the Bridge of Lions in Saint Augustine
It was buried under 8 to 10 feet of sediment and found with artifacts including a leather boot, coins from 1869 and a lantern.
“We believe the ship sank unexpectedly and silted up over time,” said Greg Evans, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation District 2. Fox news.
‘That’s why it’s been so well preserved. It was encased in earth and mud, so there was no air contact that could cause it to decay. It really is an incredible find.’
Several artifacts were found on board the ship. Its origins are not clear and it will take some time before archaeologists can trace its history.
Dr. James Delgado, who led the excavation and recovery with SEARCH, said the ship is believed to be “a small, single-masted, shallow-draft sailing vessel from the 19th century.”
He added: ‘It was probably used to extract fish and shellfish from coastal waters and immediately offshore.
“With a dedicated team, including support from the local community and the construction team on site, we were able to get the ship out so that the important work on the community’s infrastructure could continue.”
Ian Pawn, an archaeologist with the Florida Department of Transportation, said there was no evidence the ship was beneath the site.
Archaeologists are now rushing to stabilize the ship and have only a short time to get it out before the drying wood starts to rot
Several artifacts were found on board the ship. Its origins are not clear and it will take some time before archaeologists can trace its history
Dr. James Delgado, who led the excavation and recovery with SEARCH, said the ship is believed to be “a small single-masted, shallow-draft sailing vessel from the 1800s.”
The boat was dismantled plank by plank, great care being taken to keep every part wet
“A large boxwood pole was even driven through the ship, indicating that the ship was not known even in the later 19th century/early 20th century,” he said. Newsweek.
He spoke of the persistent artifacts discovered on board.
Leather shoes, coins from 1869, part of an oil-fired lantern and coconut halves ‘probably used as cups’ were recovered.
Pawn added that the boat was dismantled plank by plank, with great care taken to keep every part wet.
“The pieces will be observed in wet storage to stabilize while we determine future conservation efforts,” he said.
‘We will work closely with archaeologists and the city of Saint Augustine to find a permanent home for this unique find.’
Evans praised SEARCH, a world leader in archeology that has completed 4,500 commercial and government projects, for its “careful efforts to preserve this ship.”
He said, “In every project we undertake, the Florida Department of Transportation is sensitive to the unique needs of the communities we serve, including the potential presence of historic sites and artifacts at construction sites.”
“We look forward to learning more about its significance for the region.”