Shipwrecks discovered in the ‘Golden Age of Piracy’ in the 18th century in the Bahamas – National
Deep in the sparkling waters of the Bahamas, a fleet of shipwrecks linked to 18th-century pirates from the “Golden Age of Piracy” has been discovered by a team of archaeologists and filmmakers, marking the first time these sites have ever been explored.
In success that evokes the adventures of the famous Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, the New Providence Pirates Expedition, assisted by marine archaeologist and project director Sean Kingsley, dived to new depths in the previously inaccessible area of Nassau Harbor, uncovering artifacts that provided a wealth of insight into the livelihoods of real-life pirates in the region.
Nassau is the capital of New Providence, the most populous island in the Bahamas, and was once a famous pirate base. According to Kingsley, the team’s findings revealed that the outlaw’s residence resembled “a combination of a cowboy and an 18th-century holiday camp,” rather than the images of outlaws often portrayed in popular culture.
In 1718, Woodes Rogers, who was the governor of New Providence, noted the presence of 40 ships off the coast of Nassau, according to the expedition, but none had been touched until now.
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“Thanks to Hollywood, everyone loves this myth,” said Kingsley in a statement sent to Global News, “but beyond this fantasy, no one knows how these sea dogs really lived, what their ‘Piratetown’ looked like and what happened to their dangerous vehicles, wooden ships.”
Rough, shark-infested seas and frequent rip currents make going down a ship a difficult task, and a “dangerous journey with many chances of finding nothing,” explorer and filmmaker Chris Atkins said in a statement.
Through a series of dives in and around Nassau, and with the guidance of local divers, six wrecks were found, along with iron cannons, a grinding stone for sharpening swords and lead musket balls, just 35 kilometers east of Nassau, the expedition team confirmed, adding that they were helped by excellent visibility and “clear” water.
A stone sharpener found during the search of a pirate ship off the coast of Nassau.
Sean Kingsley/ The New Providence Pirates Expedition
“All of this risk was put in front of us,” said project director Michael Pateman.
“The ship was heavily armed, especially with revolvers, which are the bandit cannons of choice for pirates. These anti-personnel weapons opened fire that destroyed the enemy crew.”
Inside the port, the team found a pile of rocks still pressing down on its charred wooden frame, he continued. The planks and frames of the ship were connected with wooden nails, in a typical 18th-century shipbuilding method, he explained.
“After capturing a ship and taking its cargo, cannon and cargo, the pirates had to remove all signs of their crime. Burning the ships to the waterway was a bad strategy to hide the crime from the authorities,” said Pateman.
“The Nassau ship shows all the signs of pirate evil.”
Another disaster, under the old bridge, revealed timber, iron, glass bottles and bricks in the ship’s galley.
The team also unearthed a number of clay tobacco pipes decorated with unicorns, horses and crowns, which Pateman identified as being of English royal origin, as well as wooden shipping crates. Their preservation was “a miracle,” he said.
Tobacco pipes found on a pirate ship off the coast of Nassau.
Sean Kingsley/ The New Providence Pirates Expedition
The findings are documented in a series produced by Kingsley and Atkins for Wreckwatch TV, as well as an accurate 3D digital model of Nassau’s Piratetown circa 1715.
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