The
Nautical
Archaeology
Digital Library

Punta Cana (c. 1545)

Filipe Castro

Introduction

Country: Dominican Republic

Place: Punta Cana

Coordinates (approximate): Lat.  18°27.239’ N; Long.  68°24.646’W.

Type: Unknown

Identified: No

Dated: Circa c. 1545.

Shipwreck Site

Tentatively identified by the treasure hunters as Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, this site was located in shallow water, between 4 and 7 m deep at Punta Cana. It was salvaged by an American company named Anchor Research Salvage (ARS) between 2011 and 2013.

Site Plan

A site plan was published (Roberts 2013a), showing two anchors, three wrought iron tubes, five powder chambers, two versos,and one copper alloy breech chamber. Charles Beeker report (2014) mentions one verso and six wrought iron powder chambers.

Site plan (Roberts 2013a).

Guns

One of the pictures that circulated on the internet showed one bronze breech loading gun, but the picture is too small to allow a close inspection.

Bronze gun from the Punta Cana site (ARS).

Cargo

This shipwreck is mostly known for carrying a large collection of English pewter, with about 1,200 items.

References

Beeker, C., 2014. Naufragio del Siglo 16 de Punta Cana: Informe Resumido de Evaluación Arqueológica No-Invasiva. Oficina de Ciencias Subacuáticas Universidad de Indiana.

Roberts, M., 2013a. “The Punta Cana Pewter Wreck: Discursions on a Discovery,” Journal of the Pewter Society, 31.3: 14-31.

Roberts, M., 2013a. The Punta Cana Pewter Wreck. Report (https://www.academia.edu/5090970/The_Punta_Cana_Pewter_Wreck._Pewter_Origins_Styles_Makers_and_Commerce)