Shipwreck Graveyard Near Gibraltar Mapped From Carthage to WWII
- Spanish archaeologists have mapped more than 130 shipwrecks in the Bay of Gibraltar, spanning from the fifth century B.C.
- The project, named Herakles and led by researchers from the University of Cádiz and the University of Granada, has documented wrecks from various eras, including 23 Roman ships,...
- One notable discovery is the Puente Mayorga IV, an eighteenth-century Spanish gunboat that may have been disguised as a fishing vessel while engaging British naval ships near Gibraltar.
Spanish archaeologists have mapped more than 130 shipwrecks in the Bay of Gibraltar, spanning from the fifth century B.C. To World War II, in what researchers describe as a unique maritime archive of regional history.
The project, named Herakles and led by researchers from the University of Cádiz and the University of Granada, has documented wrecks from various eras, including 23 Roman ships, four medieval vessels, and the engine and propeller of a 1930s aircraft. Ships originating from Venice, Spain, and England have been identified among the 34 wrecks that have been studied in detail so far.
One notable discovery is the Puente Mayorga IV, an eighteenth-century Spanish gunboat that may have been disguised as a fishing vessel while engaging British naval ships near Gibraltar. Researchers say the concentration of wrecks in this narrow maritime corridor offers a rare opportunity to study the evolution of seafaring, trade, and conflict across the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa over millennia.
Felipe Cerezo Andreo of the University of Cádiz emphasized the strategic importance of the bay, noting it has long served as a chokepoint for commercial shipping, exploratory voyages, and military operations. The findings include artifacts such as a nit comb recovered from the Puente Mayorga IV wreck, providing insight into daily life aboard historical vessels.
The survey builds on earlier discoveries in the area, including Roman and Phoenician anchors near Europa Point and discarded military equipment such as Sherman tanks and cannons dumped in the mid-twentieth century. These non-shipping items further illustrate the bay’s layered use as both a maritime corridor and a site of human activity beyond navigation.
While the team has documented over 130 wreck sites, only a subset have undergone detailed archaeological examination. Researchers continue to analyze recovered materials and site data to better understand the cultural, economic, and military significance of the finds. The project highlights the Bay of Gibraltar as one of the most historically rich underwater landscapes in the Mediterranean.