The discovery of a large medieval ship by archaeologists in Barcelona could offer fascinating new insights into the city’s maritime history.
Thought to be approximately 500-years-old, the boat's remains were unearthed during the excavation of a former fish market — found more than five metres below sea level.
Made up of 30 curved wooden ribs and seven hull planks, it measures 10 metres long and three metres wide. Its skeletal construction of wood and iron nails is traditional of mid-15th-century medieval boats once found in the Mediterranean and across Europe.
Named Ciutadella I, after the nearby Ciutadella Park, lead archaeologist Santi Palacios called the shipwreck “a very important discovery.”
It's the latest — and most impressive — in a series of curious finds at the former Mercat de Peix (fish market) site, which is being redeveloped for a new biomedicine and biodiversity centre.
“We’d thought some archaeological boat remains might turn up on this site, which is near the port and the artificial stone quay that protected the port, and which was a working zone in the 15th and 16th centuries. Two years later, we’ve been lucky enough to find a boat,” Palacios told The Guardian.
Other notable finds from the site include an air raid shelter built in 1938, along with structures associated with the 18th-century Bourbon Citadel and 19th-century Old Fish Market.
Due to being submerged for centuries, the Ciutadella I's fragile skeleton is especially susceptible to further degradation. To combat this, researchers are using sand to prevent the wood from drying out, according to restorer Delia Eguiluz.
“The wood has to be kept constantly damp so as to keep it in a good state,” Eguiluz told The Guardian. “When we move it, we’ll have to dismantle it piece-by-piece so we can continue our research."
It will eventually be transferred to a specialist facility where conservation procedures can be carried out. These involve the wood being treated with a water-soluble wax that strengthens and preserves the integrity of the original structure.
In the meantime, researchers are busy taking samples of the boat — and hope these will yield new information about medieval maritime constructions, along with details about where exactly it was built.
This is the second medieval boat to have been found in Barcelona, with the Barceloneta I discovered near the Barcelona França railway station 17 years ago. Notable for being Cantabrian-made rather than Mediterranean, it currently resides at the Barcelona History Museum.
“We now have two examples of perfectly documented naval construction in the city of Barcelona,” Palacios said.
Together, the boats provide a rich new perspective on Barcelona's diverse medieval maritime endeavours, and highlight the city's importance as an international port of trade during that time.
