a storm from the north wrecked two of the ships and the soldiery brothers
the ships and the soldiery brothers
the ships and the soldiery brothers mussels onto a reef we were the first
mussels onto a reef we were the first
mussels onto a reef we were the first people to discover this shipwreck and
people to discover this shipwreck and
people to discover this shipwreck and the reason being because it was such a
the reason being because it was such a
the reason being because it was such a remote part of the world its son an
remote part of the world its son an
remote part of the world its son an island and the Indian Ocean 25 miles off
island and the Indian Ocean 25 miles off
island and the Indian Ocean 25 miles off the coast of Oman
the coast of Oman
the coast of Oman we went back into the Portuguese
we went back into the Portuguese
we went back into the Portuguese archives and we found a letter from one
archives and we found a letter from one
archives and we found a letter from one of the captains of one of the five ship
of the captains of one of the five ship
of the captains of one of the five ship to letter to the king explaining how the
to letter to the king explaining how the
to letter to the king explaining how the ships actually sank and where they sank
since then the actual excavation has
since then the actual excavation has been a very major expedition between
been a very major expedition between
been a very major expedition between ourselves and the Oman government the
ourselves and the Oman government the
ourselves and the Oman government the starting team was about 10 persons in
starting team was about 10 persons in
starting team was about 10 persons in 2013 the last time we went out at the
2013 the last time we went out at the
2013 the last time we went out at the end of 2015 we had 54 people on board so
end of 2015 we had 54 people on board so
end of 2015 we had 54 people on board so it built up to be a very large
it built up to be a very large
it built up to be a very large expedition itself I’ve had
expedition itself I’ve had
expedition itself I’ve had archaeologists professional divers
archaeologists professional divers
archaeologists professional divers anthropologists people who could operate
anthropologists people who could operate
anthropologists people who could operate magnetometers people who were very
magnetometers people who were very
magnetometers people who were very detailed in terms of our GPS positioning
detailed in terms of our GPS positioning
detailed in terms of our GPS positioning aware of thing is cameramen
aware of thing is cameramen
aware of thing is cameramen photographers aerial photographs but
photographers aerial photographs but
photographers aerial photographs but beyond that is another layer of
beyond that is another layer of
beyond that is another layer of scientists and specialists who helped us
scientists and specialists who helped us
scientists and specialists who helped us actually confirm the provenance the age
actually confirm the provenance the age
actually confirm the provenance the age and the identity of this shipwreck and
and the identity of this shipwreck and
and the identity of this shipwreck and that’s the key to the science that we’ve
that’s the key to the science that we’ve
that’s the key to the science that we’ve completed
whether its twentieth century of the
whether its twentieth century of the early 16th century a shipwreck sites a
early 16th century a shipwreck sites a
early 16th century a shipwreck sites a scene of tragedy it’s a scene of great
scene of tragedy it’s a scene of great
scene of tragedy it’s a scene of great death so it’s it’s a place that you
death so it’s it’s a place that you
death so it’s it’s a place that you treat with respect because many people
treat with respect because many people
treat with respect because many people died there this is very shallow water
died there this is very shallow water
died there this is very shallow water science so we’re talking 2 meters to 6
science so we’re talking 2 meters to 6
science so we’re talking 2 meters to 6 meters so we’re using handheld
meters so we’re using handheld
meters so we’re using handheld magnetometers metal detectors all of our
magnetometers metal detectors all of our
magnetometers metal detectors all of our positioning was done with differential
positioning was done with differential
positioning was done with differential GPS that’s a very precise method the
GPS that’s a very precise method the
GPS that’s a very precise method the excavation was done using an airlift
excavation was done using an airlift
excavation was done using an airlift system driven by a air compressor and
system driven by a air compressor and
system driven by a air compressor and that was one of the logistically most
that was one of the logistically most
that was one of the logistically most difficult things to do we had to use a
difficult things to do we had to use a
difficult things to do we had to use a heavy-lift helicopter from the that’s
heavy-lift helicopter from the that’s
heavy-lift helicopter from the that’s our precious air compressor courtesy of
our precious air compressor courtesy of
our precious air compressor courtesy of the Royal Amani Air Force put it in the
the Royal Amani Air Force put it in the
the Royal Amani Air Force put it in the lovely position for us
we’re very early into the archeological
we’re very early into the archeological assessment of the 2800 individual
assessment of the 2800 individual
assessment of the 2800 individual artifacts for the first time we’re
artifacts for the first time we’re
artifacts for the first time we’re seeing some very rare African ceramics
seeing some very rare African ceramics
seeing some very rare African ceramics we have Asian ceramics from the Ming
we have Asian ceramics from the Ming
we have Asian ceramics from the Ming Dynasty so these are the sorts of
Dynasty so these are the sorts of
Dynasty so these are the sorts of details that the archaeologists over the
details that the archaeologists over the
details that the archaeologists over the next several years are going to be
next several years are going to be
next several years are going to be teasing out from this collection while I
teasing out from this collection while I
teasing out from this collection while I have felt confidence a long time ago and
have felt confidence a long time ago and
have felt confidence a long time ago and you know nearly 18 years the captain of
you know nearly 18 years the captain of
you know nearly 18 years the captain of one of these ships was called Vicente
one of these ships was called Vicente
one of these ships was called Vicente sodré be yes it really has been very
sodré be yes it really has been very
sodré be yes it really has been very satisfying and fulfilling to do all the
satisfying and fulfilling to do all the
satisfying and fulfilling to do all the scientific analysis and that has been a
scientific analysis and that has been a
scientific analysis and that has been a necessary exercise but it’s been an
necessary exercise but it’s been an
necessary exercise but it’s been an enjoyable one as well hard but enjoyable
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