Image: Gold and coins from the shipwreck. (Credit: British Museum/CC)
Learn about the wreck of the Dom can Keulen, a Dutch trading ship that sank along with gold coins and other cargo in the 17th century.
ByJack Knudson
After 30 years of research, a shipwreck off the south coast of England has been identified as a 17th-century Dutch trading ship that hit a patch of rough weather while sailing. The ship — named “Dom van Keulen” — sank near Devon, England, on its way back to the Netherlands after departing from Morocco in 1633, leaving behind about 400 gold coins and other intriguing items on the seafloor.
The U.K.-based South West Maritime Archaeology Group first discovered the ship in 1995, but until recently, researchers weren’t sure of the ship’s identity. Its story has now come to light in a book published by the British Museum called “From Morocco to the Coast of England: The Story of the Dom van Keulen and its Remarkable Cargo.” In the book, several researchers detail what happened to the ship and its cargo in 1633, providing insight into the once-dominant Dutch trading empire.
“The discovery of African gold from under the sea off the coast of Devon was an amazing discovery that raised so many questions about how it came to be there,” said Jeremy D. Hill, head of research at the British Museum, in a statement. “Answering those questions has taken a team of experts, working collaboratively. The story can now be told of how a Dutch ship carrying North African gold was wrecked off the English coast, making this a discovery of international importance. It reminds us how much there is still to be found under our seas.”
Read the full article on Discovery Magazine:
https://www.discovermagazine.com/400-gold-coins-recovered-from-17th-century-shipwreck-shed-light-on-dutch-trading-history-49272
