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American Military News
07-05-2025
- Science
- American Military News
Pics: Two shipwrecks confirmed as slave ships by archaeologists
Archaeologists from the National Museum of Denmark recently announced that two 18th-century shipwrecks off the coast of Central America were confirmed to be slave ships. According to Fox News, the remains of the two ships, known as the Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, have been located underwater off the coast of the Cahuita National Park in Costa Rica for more than 300 years. The outlet noted that the two ships were believed to have been pirate ships prior to a recent discovery. Fox News reported that David John Gregory, an archaeologist with the National Museum of Denmark, told the outlet that the ships are now believed to have been carrying between 600 and 700 African slaves and roughly 100 crew members when the ships sank. 'When the ships were abandoned on the coast of present-day Costa Rica, almost all of the enslaved were released on the forested coast except for about 20 people, who were forced onboard smaller vessels heading for the nearby Spanish town of Portobello,' Gregory said. '[Fridericus Quartus] was set on fire by its crew, while the other, Christianus Quintus, was set free from its moorings and soon after stranded on the coast.' The National Museum of Denmark announced last month that new information regarding the Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus had been revealed by 'scientific analyses from an underwater excavation in 2023, when marine archaeologists from the National Museum of Denmark and the Viking Ship Museum took samples of wood from one of the wrecks and from the bricks that were part of the cargo more than 300 years ago.' READ MORE: Pics: Surprising WWII shipwreck finds revealed Gregory told Fox News that the excavation was 'minimal' and that his team surveyed approximately 21 square feet around one of the ships to 'obtain samples of the ship's timber.' According to the National Museum of Denmark, archaeologists have been able to use dendrochronological technology to determine that the wood from the ships was from the 17th century. The National Museum of Denmark explained, 'The timbers originate in the western part of the Baltic Sea, an area that encompasses the northeastern German province of Mecklenburg, as well as Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark and Scania — and that the tree was cut down sometime during the years 1690-1695.' The museum added that the 'charred and sooty' wood confirmed historical sources that claimed one of the ships had been 'set ablaze.' 'The analyses are very convincing and we no longer have any doubts that these are the wrecks of the two Danish slave ships,' Gregory said. 'The bricks are Danish and the same goes for the timbers, which are additionally charred and sooty from a fire. This fits perfectly with the historical accounts stating that one of the ships burnt.' Pictures of the remains of the two Danish slave ships have been shared on X, formerly Twitter. ⚓📜 Archaeologist uncovers chilling secrets of wrecked slave ships off Costa Rica. David John Gregory reveals new findings on Fridericus Quartus & Christianus Quintus, 2 Danish slave ships lost centuries ago. The vessels, stranded on coast, carried enslaved Africans on brutal… — GoodMorningRooster (@RoosterGM) May 6, 2025
The Independent
07-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Danish ships involved in transatlantic slave trade uncovered off Costa Rica
Archaeologists have uncovered a pair of Danish slave ships that sank off the Central American coast in 1710, shedding more light on the role played by Denmark in the transatlantic trafficking of humans in the 18th century. Researchers analysed timber and bricks taken from the shipwrecks during an underwater excavation off Costa Rica in 2023, and assessed samples, including clay pipes, from their cargo. The analysis revealed that the ships were most likely slave trade vessels Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, two of the 'most dramatic shipwrecks' in the history of Denmark. 'The bricks are Danish and same goes for the timbers which are additionally charred and sooty from a fire,' David Gregory, marine archaeologist from the National Museum of Denmark, said. 'This fits perfectly with the historical accounts stating that one of the ships was burnt.' Researchers analysed tree ring patterns on the oak wood from one of the sunken ships and found the timbers originated in the western part of the Baltic Sea encompassing the northeastern German province of Mecklenburg, Denmark, and Scania. They estimated that the tree was cut down sometime between 1690 and 1695. Some of the wood was found charred and sooty, confirming historical accounts of one of the vessels being set ablaze. Bricks taken from the shipwrecks were found to be similar to Flensburg bricks used in Denmark and Danish colonies, researchers said. The clay pipe too was found to be of Danish origin, likely from the Flensburg Fjord region, which in the 18th century was home to a sizeable brickmaking industry. According to historical records, Fridericus Quartus was set afire while Christianus Quintus got wrecked in the surf after its anchor rope was cut. The two wrecks were known to lie in the shallow waters off the Cahuita National Park in Costa Rica but were for long thought to be pirate ships, until the discovery of strange yellow bricks on one of them in 2015 raised questions among American marine archaeologists. Such bricks, it was known, were used in Denmark and Danish colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries. 'The analyses are very convincing and we no longer have any doubts that these are the wrecks of the two Danish slave ships,' Dr Gregory said.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Underwater 'yellow-brick road' leads divers to long-lost slave ships that sunk in the 18th century
Marine archaeologists have found a 'yellow-brick road' at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean that led them to the discovery of two long-lost Danish slave ships. According to historical records, the ships, called Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, wrecked off the coast of Central America in 1710. Fridericus Quartus was set on fire, while Christianus Quintus had its anchor rope cut and was destroyed in the surf. But for three centuries, no one knew exactly where the remains of these ships were. In Costa Rica, people had long been aware of two shipwrecks located off the coast of Cahuita National Park, but dismissed them as sunken pirate ships. That changed in 2015, when American marine archaeologists found yellow bricks from one of the wrecks, which raised new questions about their history. Researchers from the National Museum Of Denmark and the Viking Ship Museum conducted an underwater excavation of the ships in 2023, taking samples of wood from one of the wrecks, the bricks, and recovering several clay pipes. The team published their analysis of the objects on Sunday, revealing that the shipwrecks are, in fact, the missing remains of Fridericus Quartus and Christianus. Co-researcher David Gregory of the National Museum Of Denmark said: 'The analyses are very convincing and we no longer have any doubts that these are the wrecks of the two Danish slave ships. 'The bricks are Danish and the same goes for the timbers, which are additionally charred and sooty from a fire. This fits perfectly with the historical accounts stating that one of the ships burnt.' Measurements of the bricks revealed that they were the same size as the 'Flensburg' yellow bricks that were used in Denmark and the Danish colonies during the 1700s. Analysis of their clay confirmed that it came from Denmark - either from a beach called Iller Strand or a small town called Egernsund. Both places are located near the Flensburg Fjord, which was home to a large brick-producing industry in the 18th century, according to the National Museum Of Denmark. The researchers used tree-ring dating to determine where oak wood extracted from one of the wrecks came from, finding that it originates from a tree in the western part of the Baltic Sea that was cut down sometime between 1690 and 1695. The wood was also charred and sooty, which aligns with historical reports about one of the ships being set ablaze. The clay pipes offer further evidence that the ships were Danish, as they proved to be Dutch-produced pipes that were commonly found onboard Danish ships at the time. 'The size, shape and patterns of the pipes suggest that they were produced in the period right before the ships became wrecked in 1710,' according to the researchers. Gregory led the study alongside marine archaeologist Andreas Kallmeyer Bloch, who has been working for years to determine the origins of the Costa Rica shipwrecks. Bloch said: 'It's been a long process and I've come close to giving up along the way. 'But this is undoubtedly the craziest archaeological excavation I've yet been part of. Not only because it matters greatly to the local population, but also because it's one of the most dramatic shipwrecks in the history of Denmark, and now we know exactly where it happened. 'This provides two pieces that have been missing from the history of Denmark.' Denmark banned the transatlantic slave trade in 1792, but didn't actually abolish slavery until 1847, according to the museum. This project was carried out by the museum's new research center, Njord, which plans to excavate several more Danish shipwrecks around the world.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Underwater yellow-brick road leads divers to astonishing discovery
Marine archaeologists have found a 'yellow-brick road' at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean that led them to the discovery of two long-lost Danish slave ships. According to historical records, these ships, called Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, wrecked off the coast of Central America in 1710. Fridericus Quartus was set on fire, while Christianus Quintus had its anchor rope cut and was destroyed in the surf. But for three centuries, no one knew exactly where the remains of these ships were. In Costa Rica, people had long been aware of two shipwrecks located off the coast of Cahuita National Park, but dismissed them as sunken pirate ships. That changed in 2015, when American marine archaeologists found yellow bricks from one of the wrecks, which raised new questions about their history. Researchers from the National Museum of Denmark and the Viking Ship Museum conducted an underwater excavation of the ships in 2023, taking samples of wood from one of the wrecks, the bricks and recovering several clay pipes. The team published their analysis of these objects on Sunday, revealing that the shipwrecks were, in fact, the missing remains of Fridericus Quartus and Christianus. 'The analyses are very convincing and we no longer have any doubts that these are the wrecks of the two Danish slave ships,' said co-researcher David Gregory of the National Museum of Denmark. 'The bricks are Danish and the same goes for the timbers, which are additionally charred and sooty from a fire. This fits perfectly with the historical accounts stating that one of the ships burnt,' he added in a statement. Measurements of the bricks revealed that they were the same size as the 'Flensburg' yellow bricks that were used in Denmark and the Danish colonies during the 1700s. Analysis of their clay confirmed that it came from Denmark — specifically either from a beach called Iller Strand or a small town called Egernsund. Both of these places are located near the Flensburg Fjord, which was home to a large brick-producing industry in the 18th century, according to the National Museum of Denmark. The researchers used tree-ring dating to determine where oak wood extracted from one of the wrecks came from, finding that it originates from a tree in the western part of the Baltic Sea that was cut down sometime between 1690 and 1695. The wood was also charred and sooty, which aligns with historical reports about one of the ships being set ablaze. The clay pipes offer further evidence that the ships were Danish, as they proved to be Dutch-produced pipes that were commonly found onboard Danish ships at the time. 'The size, shape and patterns of the pipes suggest that they were produced in the period right before the ships became wrecked in 1710,' according to the researchers. Measurements of the bricks revealed that they were the same size as the 'Flensburg' yellow bricks that were used in Denmark and the Danish colonies during the 1700s Gregory led the study alongside marine archaeologist Andreas Kallmeyer Bloch, who has been working for years to determine the origins of the Costa Rica shipwrecks. 'It's been a long process and I've come close to giving up along the way,' Bloch said in the statement. 'But this is undoubtedly the craziest archaeological excavation I've yet been part of. Not only because it matters greatly to the local population, but also because it's one of the most dramatic shipwrecks in the history of Denmark, and now we know exactly where it happened. 'This provides two pieces that have been missing from the history of Denmark,' he said. Denmark banned the transatlantic slave trade in 1792, but didn't actually abolish slavery until 1847, according to the museum. This project was carried out by the museum's new research center, Njord, which plans to excavate several more Danish shipwrecks around the world.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Haunting slave ships found off coast of national park 300 years later: ‘Very convincing'
Archaeologists recently made a startling discovery: They found that two 18th-century shipwrecks off the coast of Central America were actually two Danish slave ships. The ships, named Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, are located in shallow waters off Costa Rica's Cahuita National Park. Advertisement The 18th-century vessels were shipwrecked in 1710, according to the National Museum of Denmark. 'Fridericus Quartus was set ablaze, while Christianus Quintus had its anchor rope cut, following which the ship was wrecked in the surf,' the museum's press release noted. 'Until now, it has not been clear exactly where the ships were lost.' Pictures show divers carefully examining the shipwreck, which shows signs of significant decay from the past 315 years. Advertisement Though the ships were excavated in 2023, researchers didn't know that they were slave ships until recently. The vessels were long believed to be pirate ships. The excavation involved, in part, taking samples from the wood of the ships, as well as yellow bricks that were part of the ship's cargo. Researchers also conducted dendrochronological analyses — tree-ring dating — to determine where the wood came from. Advertisement They found it came from Northern Europe. The ships, named Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, were located in the shallow waters off Costa Rica's Cahuita National Park. Jakob Olling / National Museum of Denmark 'The timbers originate in the western part of the Baltic Sea, an area that encompasses the northeastern German province of Mecklenburg, as well as Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark and Scania — and that the tree was cut down sometime during the years 1690-1695,' the release said. 'The wood is, moreover, charred and sooty, which confirms what historical sources say about one of the ships being set ablaze.' Advertisement Divers also found clay pipes, which the museum describes as 'ordinary, Dutch-produced pipes that were also used onboard Danish ships.' 'The size, shape and patterns of the pipes suggest that they were produced in the period right before the ships became wrecked in 1710,' the press release added. 'Clay pipes were rarely used for more than five years.' The National Museum of Denmark indicates the vessels were shipwrecked in 1710. Wisconsin Historical Society Pictures also show the remarkable yellow bricks that survived the shipwreck, which were produced in Flensburg 'for use in Denmark and in the Danish colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries.' 'In other European countries, other kinds of bricks and stones were in fashion when new buildings were erected,' the museum said. 'The clay comes from Denmark — quite specifically, from either Iller Strand or Egernsund,' the statement added. 'Both locations are situated by Flensburg Fjord, which was, in the 18th century, home to a sizeable brick-producing industry.' Advertisement After samples from the excavation were analyzed at the National Museum of Denmark and the University of Southern Denmark, researchers concluded the findings corroborate what historical sources say about the history of the ships. David Gregory, a marine archaeologist at the National Museum of Denmark, said that the results fit 'perfectly' with historical accounts about one of the ships burning. 'The analyses are very convincing and we no longer have any doubts that these are the wrecks of the two Danish slave ships,' Gregory said. Advertisement 'The bricks are Danish and the same goes for the timbers, which are additionally charred and sooty from a fire. This fits perfectly with the historical accounts stating that one of the ships burnt.' National Museum of Denmark marine archaeologist Andreas Kallmeyer Bloch said he'd 'come close to giving up' during the long research process – but is stunned by the results. 'This is undoubtedly the craziest archaeological excavation I've yet been part of,' Bach said. Advertisement 'Not only because it matters greatly to the local population, but also because it's one of the most dramatic shipwrecks in the history of Denmark, and now we know exactly where it happened.' 'This provides two pieces that have been missing from the history of Denmark.' Fox News Digital reached out to the National Museum of Denmark for additional information.
