Ship with gold in the desert: an amazing archaeological find

On the southern coast of Namibia, a Portuguese trading ship "Bom Jesus", which sank in 1533, was discovered. More than two thousand gold coins weighing about 23 kg and 22 tons of copper ingots were found under the sand. The find became a "time capsule" of the Age of Discovery.

On the southern coast of Namibia, in the restricted diamond area of Sperrgebiet, workers at a mining enterprise accidentally discovered the remains of an ancient ship in April 2008. It turned out to be the Portuguese trading ship "Bom Jesus", which was heading to India and sank in 1533. The vessel was preserved thanks to its heavy cargo, which held the frame together, and the sands that preserved it. At the wreck site, more than two thousand gold coins from the time of King John III were found, weighing about 23 kg, as well as about 22 tons of copper ingots stamped with the mark of the Fugger banking dynasty. In addition, weapons, navigational instruments, and ivory were recovered. The find is described as a "time capsule", demonstrating the scale of early globalization in the 16th century. The fate of the crew remains a mystery—almost no human remains were found, suggesting that some sailors may have survived the storm.