Treasure hunters have long been obsessed with retrieving shiny gold doubloons and dazzling jewels from shipwrecks in the Bahamas. But these wrecks are worth far more than the treasures they hide below the ocean’s surface; they also offer a window into the past, revealing new information about politics, shipping routes, navigation, shipbuilding, slavery and more.
Now, researchers want to shine a light on the sunken vessels’ rich archaeological, historical and cultural value. To start, they’ve created a new master map of the wrecks surrounding some of the Bahamas islands in the west Atlantic Ocean.
The new map—and accompanying findings—will go on display this fall as part of an interactive exhibition at the Bahamas Maritime Museum.
“Beyond seaborne conquistadors hauling gold, silver, emeralds and pearls back to Spain, mapping the wrecks of the Bahamas has uncovered the forgotten lives of merchants, warships, fishermen, slavers and even ancient salvors,” James Jenney, a maritime historian who led research efforts for the project, tells Smithsonian magazine.
