[Archport] Namibian Government has taken over responsibility for the excavation of the 500-year old shipwreck

[Alexandre <no.arame@gmail.com>]

The Namibian News

Monday, May 12, 2008 - Web posted at 7:56:25 GMT

Govt takes over ancient shipwreck

JOHN GROBLER
THE Namibian Government has taken over responsibility for the
excavation of the 500-year old shipwreck found at Oranjemund last
month after the Office of the President was approached in this regard
by the Portuguese government, The Namibian has established.

Namdeb spokesman Hilifa Mbako confirmed that three Ministers - Errki
Nghimtina of Mines and Energy, Dr Abraham Iyambo of Fisheries and
Marine Resources and Willem Konjore of the Ministry of Youth, National
Service, Sport and Culture - flew to Oranjemund on Thursday to inspect
the site.

He declined to give any further information, referring all queries to
the Office of the President instead.

This office could not be reached for comment over the weekend.

Another well-placed source indicated that the Portuguese government
had contacted President Hifikepunye Pohamba's office directly, which
had led to him sending the ministerial delegation to Oranjemund.

"The Ministers have returned from their visit in Oranjemund with an
order that nothing further should be said by anyone on the shipwreck
until further notice," the source said.

Government has made it clear that it has now taken full charge of the
matter, the source added.

In a written statement released to the media on Friday, Nghimtina
confirmed the three Ministers' visit to the site of the discovery.

Nghimtina thanked Namdeb "for all the phenomenal work they have done
in protecting the site where the wreck was found and providing
security for the artefacts".

He added that "appropriate officials" from relevant Government
departments, being archaeologists, the National Heritage Council and
the National Museum of Namibia, "now need space and time to carry out
vital analytical work to provide answers to the many questions that we
have".

Because Government also needs to study all the information available
at this stage to make an informed decision about the way forward,
"there will be no further information or media comments on this matter
- until further notice", Nghimtina stated.

Namdeb kept news of the sensational discovery secret for a month
before announcing on April 30 to widespread international interest
that they had found what is believed to be the oldest shipwreck
discovered in sub-Saharan Africa.

The wreck was discovered by Namdeb geologist Bob Burrell, who came
across copper ingots while excavating an ancient beach terrace in
search of diamonds.

Mining in the area - which appeared to be below sea level and buried
about six metres deep - was halted immediately and experts brought in
to excavate the sensational find.

Further investigation brought to light brass swivel-cannons dating
back 500 years, as well as a treasure hoard of Portuguese and Spanish
gold and silver coins, 50 ivory tusks, pewter ware and ancient
navigational equipment.

Under Namibian heritage laws, the wreck and its contents belong to the
Namibian Government.

Some reports on an Oranjemund community online forum suggested that
the gold alone was worth some US$2,2 million (about N$16 million).

The origin of the ship remains unclear, but Namdeb-retained
archaeologist Dr Dieter Noli previously said the large amount of
Portuguese silver found in the remains was significant.

Trade in ivory was at the time reserved for royalty, Noli said.

There is also intense speculation that the wreck might be one of four
Portuguese royal caravels, one of which was captained by Portuguese
explorer Bartolomeu Dias, which disappeared off the Cape of Good Hope
in May 1500 in a storm.

Dias's caravel was part of a fleet of 13 ships that had sailed from
Portugal on March 9 1500 under the command of Pedro Alvarez Cabral and
got lost at sea before discovering Brazil by accident a month later.

The fleet was to establish trade with the Far East, after Arab traders
there had previously rejected as inferior Portuguese goods offered by
another Portuguese seafarer, Vasco da Gama, on his first visit there,
one website dedicated to maritime history suggested.

The fleet, already depleted by half at that stage, then headed east
for the Indies before disaster struck off the southern African coast
in middle May, various websites indicated.

Dias, who in late December 1488 was blown past the Cape by another
such storm, was presumed lost at sea on May 29, various websites
indicated.

* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587


http://www.namibian.com.na/2008/May/national/082EC5DBE.html