ISSUE NO. 1607
21 - 27 April 2016
COSTA BLANCA NORTH YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
British buccaneers By Matthew Elliott A SUNKEN 16th century English warship has spawned souvenirs from a buccaneering past as a port clean up uncovered three well-preserved cannons rolling in the depths of Calpe’s coastal waters. Aquatic archaeologists and heritage specialists have come flocking to the Costa Blanca town to advise local authorities on how best to salvage and promote this historical treasure chest ripe with imagination. Who were these sailors? Where were they from? What were their thoughts as they explored, plundered or protected the blue seas of the northern Costa Blanca? In order to put together the pieces of this intriguing historical narrative, experts have agreed to keep the artefacts underwater for now. UNESCO’s heritage philosophy advises maintaining the local environment, while the
excellent condition of the cannons has been attributed to the preservative qualities of the seawater. The decision has already sparked the bright idea of developing a kind of aquatic museum to showcase Calpe’s treasures, with the notion of a tourist boat also being floated. Divers also found the seapreserved remains of their accompanying galley and the local authorities are consulting with experts on how best to salvage the artefacts, which are thought to belong to the same ship as another four cannons found in 1997. Turn to page 6
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