Thousands Of Pearls Found In Shipwreck

Salvagers Seeking 17th Century Spanish Galleon Find Treasure In Small Lead Box

(AP)  Salvagers discovered thousands of pearls in a small, lead box they said they found while searching for the wreckage of the 17th-century Spanish galleon Santa Margarita.

Divers from Blue Water Ventures of Key West said they found the sealed box, measuring 3.5 inches by 5.5 inches, Friday along with a gold bar, eight gold chains and hundreds of other artifacts earlier this week.

They were apparently buried beneath the ocean floor in approximately 18 feet of water about 40 miles west of Key West.

"There are several thousand pearls starting from an eighth of an inch to three-quarters of an inch," said Duncan Mathewson, marine archaeologist and partner in Blue Water Ventures.

James Sinclair, archaeologist and conservator consulting with Mel Fisher's Treasures, Blue Water's joint-venture partners, said the pearls are very rare because of their antiquity and condition.

Sinclair said pearls don't normally survive the ocean water once they are out of the oyster that makes them.

"In this instance, we had a lead box and the silt that had sifted into the box from the site of the Margarita, which preserved the pearls in a fairly pristine state," he said.

An initial cache of treasure and artifacts from the Santa Margarita was discovered in 1980 by pioneering shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher. The ship was bound for Spain when it sank in a hurricane in 1622.

The pearls will be conserved, documented and photographed in an archaeological laboratory above the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West.

"Until they're properly cleaned and conserved we don't know their value, but it would seem they would be worth upwards of a million dollars," Mathewson said.

[reel-crazy]

parakeet57:

Nothing is logical about that. Spain lost them almost four centuries ago and Mel Fisher's company/partners found them. They will display them in Key West or Sebastian's museum in FL and sell some, too.... and rightfully so.

Finders keepers, and I doubt any moronic lawyer will take that case on for Spain since Fisher's company found the wreck 27 years ago.

[parakeet57]

It was found on a Spanish ship, by divers working for an American corporation. The most logical solution, since the archaeological discoveries are priceless, is to display them in a museum, and have a touring exhibition, sponsored by both the US and Spain.

[parakeet57]

It was found on a Spanish ship, by divers working for an American corporation. The most logical solution, since the archaeological discoveries are priceless, is to display them in a museum, and have a touring exhibition, sponsored by both the US and Spain.

[ov442]

i wonder if spain will raise a stink on this one too. " they're our pearls, ours!! we want our rightful property back"
yeah, rightful property their people raped and pillaged caribbean peoples for and stole like thieves cuz they could do it.

[jedstarkiler]

They arent pearls they are really old gumballs.

[beadazzle]

Ah now matie,it seems we are rich once more,for we have found a spainish ship with all it's goods. Wouldn't those pearls look good around some pirates wife neck,but alas no they shall turn up in a museum and the spainish people shall neve see their bounty again. :)

[gunnerv1]

Better watchout, Spain will file a suit against them!

[michellem99-2009]

GREED GREED GREED. Somebody going to cash in again. America will as she alway does.

[jetranger7]

I DROPPED THAT LAST YEAR-MINE !

[byethepeople]

Back! Back! Back!

Mine! Mine! Mine!

I'm independently wealthy....

I'm socially secure....

-- Daffy Duck

[pwrslm]

Who needs a lawyer?

They just keep gettin shot.

[bm6005]

An argument that no one can win!!

[reel-crazy]

pwrslm:

My lawyer is more crooked than yours :-P

[pwrslm]

What are you talkin about? That box was stolen from my French Great Great Great Gramma in Loisianna. Your Greatttttt gandpappy musta been a pirate!!

[reel-crazy]

What was the name of that crooked lawyer a while back that was suing to get the treasure back for Spain? I need his services. That lead box is a family heirloom of mine that was being delivered to my greattttttt-grandpappy...