Mexican archeologists discover 200-year-old shipwreck in Quintana Roo

Mexican archeologists from the Underwater Archeology Subdirection (SAS) of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) found vestiges of a 200-year-old shipwreck in Quintana Roo.

Laura Carrillo Márquez

, a SAS researcher and the head of the Banco Chinchorro Project , explained in a statement that it was in recent months when they performed the first search journey in order to register, through two diving sessions, the GPS location of the derelict and make a general inspection of it.

The underwater archeologist said that it is hard to talk about the size of the vessel, its load , or other details since the area in which it is located, on the southeast Banco Chinchorro, is complex, “It lies directly on the coral reef where the sea current is strong.”

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The latter, in addition to the sailboat being located at barely two to three meters from the surface , has left very almost nothing of the wooden hull , for the organic material of the structure has been disintegrated with time.

“Only solid elements remain, very solidified to the reef,” says Carrillo when she lists some of the objects registered on the initial recognition: ingots used as ballast , some pipes , a cannon of approximately 2.5 m long, and an anchor.

Although the vestiges suggest the vessel belonged to Great Britain , the INAH researcher said that the hypothesis has yet to be confirmed through a detailed analysis, taking care of the environmental balance of the place.

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The shipwreck was called “ Manuel Polanco ” in honor of the fisherman who found it, said the INAH, and with that, the vessel became the 70th registered in the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve .

Carrillo Márquez mentioned that there will be a second phase of the investigation where the archeologists will make plans, delve into the characteristics of the context, and perhaps they will take some samples to inquire into its age , however, it will happen once the coronavirus health emergency ends.

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