French Schooner Uncovered Off The Coast More Than A Century After Shipwreck

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Shifting sands had uncovered an bonzer conception of nan wreck. Credit: Rafa Martos

The remains of nan French brig-schooner Rosa Madre person “emerged” disconnected nan seashore of Denia. First identified successful 2010, caller and important vestiges person now been revealed of nan 245-ton alloy that sank disconnected l’Almadrava formation successful February 1899 while transporting a ample cargo of Marseille-made tiles and ornamental bricks.

Divers Rafa Martos and Javier Reyes, some experts successful underwater heritage, discovered nan remains astatine a extent of betwixt 8 and 10 metres. They instantly informed nan Guardia Civil and, to forestall looting, nan precise location is being kept secret.

At nan extremity of nan 19th century, Denia maintained beardown commercialized ties pinch Marseille, a larboard that redistributed nan region’s raisin exports to destinations specified arsenic Italy, England and bluish Europe.

In January 2010, past head of nan Denia Archaeological Museum, Josep A. Gisbert, confirmed that storms had brought to statement fragments of a sunken vessel, pinch galore timbers appearing connected nan beach. Later, section diver Jean Castera located what whitethorn person been portion of nan ship’s hull.

This August, however, Martos and Reyes confirmed that shifting sands had uncovered an bonzer conception of nan wreck, believed to beryllium that of nan Rosa Madre. Hidden for decades beneath a bladed broad of sand, nan find is considered 1 of nan astir striking examples of Denia’s rich | underwater archaeology.

Remarkable remains

On nan seabed dishonesty hundreds, perchance thousands, of artistically crafted tiles interlocked for illustration food scales, alongside countless coagulated bricks stacked for illustration nan pages of a book. Although adjacent to nan shore, they are difficult to observe, arsenic moreover nan slightest activity aliases existent quickly covers them erstwhile again pinch sand.

The divers besides study parts of nan schooner’s structure, including nan bulwarks, beams and sections of nan hull. “From nan aerial you tin intelligibly spot nan outline of nan vessel, though successful a fewer days it will apt vanish beneath nan soil erstwhile more,” they explained.

Key to identification

Confirmation of nan wreck came acknowledgment to investigation by Antoni Rodríguez successful Denia one la seua historia en el servei de salvament de naufrags (1883-1972). In it, a study from nan Denia branch of nan Spanish Society for Shipwreck Rescue specifications that astatine dawn connected February 1899, a 245-ton French brig-schooner named Rosa Madre, pinch a unit of ten, ran aground while sailing from Marseille to Oran laden pinch bricks and tiles. The alloy and its cargo were declared lost.

Tiles from Marseille

The tiles were manufactured by Brevete S.G.D.G. St-Henry Marseille. The initials “S.G.D.G.” stood for Sans Garantie Du Gouvernement (without authorities guarantee), a ineligible statement utilized successful France for patents and registered models anterior to 1968. This type of scale-shaped tile was celebrated for roofing, offering some artistic entreaty and protection from nan elements.

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