The
Nautical
Archaeology
Digital Library

Shipwrecks in the Western Mediterranean

Arnaud Cazenave de la Roche, Katarina Batur, and Filipe Castro

Introduction

Trade in the Mediterranean has been an intense activity since at least the Iron Age. Many ship types used in the rest of the world originated in the Mediterranean Sea and the ships of the early modern period seem to have varied in size and shape from region to region, converging, however, into a type that became ubiquitous in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Armed or not, iconography shows these merchantmen with high castles, three masts and bowsprit, and round hulls, built more for space than speed.

This section is an attempt to gather and share information about these types of ships. All comments, contributions and corrections are welcome.

The Shipwrecks

Although a considerable number of shipwrecks from this period has been found, few have been excavated and fewer even were fully published. We hope that this page is a contribution to the formation of a community of scholars interested in this subject.

Culip 6, c. 1300, Spain

Les Sorres X, c. 1300, Spain

Hvar HV0536, c. 1500, Croatia

Lomellina, 1516, France

Mortella 2, 1527, Corsica

Mortella 3, 1527, Corsicahttps

Casarossa, c. 1550, Italy

Chretienne K, c. 1550, France

Rocciu, c. 1550, Corsica

Cap Lardier 1, c. 1575, France

Suđurađ, 1576, Croatia

Calvi 1, c. 1580, Corsica

Relitto del Veltro, c. 1550, Italy

Parissona grossa, 1581, Italy

Gnalic, 1583, Croatia

Delta 2, 1587, Spain

Church Rocks Shipwreck, 1588, UK

La Ragazzona, 1588, Spain

La Rata Encoronada, 1588, Ireland

Trinidad Valencera, 1588, Ireland

Santiago de Galicia, 1597, Spain

Agropoli, c. 1600, Italy

Bisevo, c. 1600, Croatia

Jezera, c. 1600, Croatia

Kortula, c. 1600, Croatia

Mljet, c. 1600, Croatia

Rondinara, c. 1600, Corsica

Veruda, c. 1600, Croatia

Bisaga, c. 1650, Croatia

Kolocep, c. 1650, Croatia

Santo Cristo de Castello, 1667, UK