Divers Discover What Survived This 340-Year-Old Shipwreck When It Led To A Huge Discovery
In 1672, the Swedish Navy had one of the most intimidating sea-faring vessels ever built at the time. Her name was Kronan ("crown"). This massive ship was one of the most heavily armed flagships of any navy in the world then and she was expected to lead Swedish sailors to many victories.
That is, until the Battle of Öland. One bad turn caused the ship to sink, taking hundreds of casualties along with her. But over 300 years later, Kronan's remains were rediscovered.
The Largest Ship Of The Swedish Navy
The Kronan was a Swedish warship that was one of the largest of its kind when it was built in the 17th century. A flagship of the Swedish Navy, this massive ship was completed in 1672 after about four years of construction.
Kronan was only at sea for four years before she met her demise. During the Battle of Öland on June 1, 1676, the entire ship capsized after making a sharp turn.
Many Were Lost When She Sank
As Kronan capsized under too much sail, her entire gunpowder magazine was also ignited. As a result, most of the bow was obliterated in the blast and the ship began sinking quickly.
Of course, a tragic event like that wasn't without its casualties. Around 800 men lost their lives on this sinking ship, taking along with them more than 100 guns, various military equipment, personal items, and gold and silver coins.
Kronan Wasn't Discovered For More Than 300 Years
Kronan sank to her final resting place off the southeast coast of Sweden, where she would remain for over 340 years. As the wreckage would deteriorate and succumb to time at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, it also became a home for aquatic creatures and was overrun by the sea's natural flora and fauna.
Kronan was nearly forgotten until some diving archaeologists decided to find her at the bottom of the sea.
They Weren't Sure What To Expect
It took nearly 300 years for the Kronan to make headlines again. In 1980, Swedish naval archaeologist Anders Franzén, who was also a marine technician, located Kronan's exact location on the ocean floor.
At 85 feet deep, she was just four miles east of the town of Hulterstad in Öland, Sweden. Franzén and his team weren't sure what to expect when they found her, but Kronan was apparently hiding a lot.
They Initially Found Her Cannons
As Franzén and his team dove deeper towards the wreckage, they couldn't believe their eyes. The cannons protruding from the side of the wreckage were the first significant find.
Indeed, Kronan was one of the most heavily armed ships of the 17th century. Outfitted with 110 guns, she had three full gundecks that went from the bow to the stern. When the archaeologists came upon the remains, they knew what they had to do first.
The Cannons Were Trophies From Other Countries
On the first expedition in 1981, the crew decided their priority was to safely remove all of the ship's cannons. Though they had no issue pulling the smaller guns out of the water, they enlisted the help of the Swedish Coast Guard to obtain the larger ones, some of which weighed over four tons.
All the gun cannons were of different shapes and sizes; trophies from different kingdoms including Germany, France, Denmark, and Spain.
There Was Enough Light To Conduct A Thorough Excavation
Much of the sand surrounding the wreckage was infertile, meaning that it was light enough to reflect the light of the sun from the surface of the water. This was especially helpful during excavation.
It was a good thing that the archaeologists had all this light too, since they were in for a massive discovery that included more than 30,000 artifacts. It would take many years for them to uncover everything.
Kronan's Treasures Only Got Better And Better
As of 2019, only 85 percent of the shipwreck site has been charted, which means there's still a significant part of the ship that's either lost to time or hidden beneath the seabed. But so far, what archaeologists have found was beyond anything they could have imagined.
One of the first things that they found was a small table cabinet that held navigational instruments and tools that likely belonged to an officer on the ship.
There Was A Chest Filled With Silver Coins
The divers went on to discover a war chest filled to the brim with silver coins. War chests were necessary to have during maritime travel because not only did they carry the crew's wages, but the funds also came in handy in the event of an emergency.
The silver coins, however, weren't the only funds uncovered from the shipwreck. Another collection of coins found within the wreckage led to a lot of historical speculation.
There Were Gold Coins From All Over The World
In 1982, archaeologists uncovered a collection of 255 gold coins. The origin of these coins was perhaps the most striking, as many of the individual coins came from all over the world. There were coins from Cairo, Seville, and Reval (which is now the modern capital of Estonia).
The coins were ducats, which was the most prominent form of currency during the Middle Ages. Ducats back then varied in metallic content and purchasing power.
Ancient Firearms Were Restored And Put On Display
The Kronan wreckage also revealed a barrage of rifles and other firearms. These guns were rusted over having been underwater for centuries but scientists were able to restore them to a spotless condition.
The guns have since been put on display at the Kalmar County Museum in Sweden, where a large exhibit was built dedicated entirely to the findings from Kronan. Indeed, the guns weren't the last things that were discovered.
The Shipwrecked Sailors Enjoyed Music
The divers also uncovered a number of musical instruments including a trumpet, three violins, and a viola da gamba, which was an expensive instrument that likely belonged to one of the ship's officers.
One of the violins is believed to be one of the oldest existing violins in the entire world. With these instruments, historians were able to catch a glimpse of what life was like for these 17th-century sailors.
Of Course, They Found Tobacco Leaves
Another discovery that illustrated daily life back then was tobacco. No matter their rank, all the men on the ship likely smoked tobacco. The archaeologists found it bundled up in barrels that did enough to preserve the leaves over many years.
The tobacco was used for both pleasure and medicinal purposes. Though tobacco was grown in Sweden as early as the 17th century, it's more likely that the tobacco found on Kronan was imported from North America.
Clothing And Food Were Also Revealed
Seven percent of the wreckage finds included amazingly well-preserved textiles. The clothing appeared to have belonged to the officers and their servants. No longer having to rely on depictions, the clothes gave historians insight into how clothes were manufactured back then.
There were also baskets that were filled with exotic spices and foodstuffs including ginger, plums, cinnamon quills, and grapes. Clearly, the Kronan had been all over the world before she sunk into the ocean.
Researchers Were Excited To Find Brain Tissue
Not only did the archaeologists find clothes and everyday items that were reflective of the ship's crew members, but they also found substantial evidence of the crew members themselves!
The remains of two crew members were found in the wreck and one of their skulls even contained remains of brain tissue. While 800 or so men lost their lives when the Kronan sunk, only about 40 other men were lucky enough to survive.
An Ominous Black Jar
It was clear that archaeologists uncovered a literal treasure trove of 17th-century artifacts. From firearms, to coins, to clothes, and even brain tissue, there was a lot that revealed what life was like for these Middle Age sailors.
But perhaps no find was as remarkable as what they uncovered in 2016. In one of their excavations, archaeologists found a mysterious black jar. What was inside the jar really blew their minds.
The Heavy Black Jar Was Waiting To Be Opened
Nestled perfectly into the seabed was this heavy black jar. At first, the archaeologists were unsure of what might be inside. Because it was heavy, it might've just been another vessel containing ancient coins.
However, they couldn't have been more off in that assumption. It wasn't until the jar was brought back to the surface that its contents were made very apparent. All the jar needed was a slight change in pressure.
They Smelled It Before They Saw It
Once the mysterious jar was brought above the surface of the ocean, the change in pressure caused its contents to start oozing out of the lid. At that moment, everyone was hit with a pungent smell. Scientists believed they found a 340-year-old cheese.
"It's a pretty good guess that it's some kind of dairy product, and we think it is cheese," archaeologist Lars Einarsson told Swedish news hub The Local.
They Believe It Was Roquefort
No one working on the Kronan site could believe their eyes – or their noses. It was amazing that a product like cheese lasted well over 300 years at the bottom of the ocean.
"It looks a bit like some kind of granular Roquefort cheese. It's been in the mud, so it's reasonably well preserved, but at the same time it has been at the bottom of the sea for 340 years," Einarsson said.
An Expensive Mass Of Bacteria
Back in the 17th century, cheeses were a luxury only those in wealthier classes could afford so it is even possible that this jar belonged to the captain of the ship. It's too bad they didn't get to enjoy it before the Kronan sank, however.
Though it smells nice and pungent as most expensive cheeses do today, we wouldn't recommend trying it. "I certainly don't recommend tasting it. It's a mass of bacteria," Einarsson has said.
