Unearthed treasures: 18th-century shipwreck reveals ever-illegal silver and intricate sabers

The Rooswijk sank on January 9, 1740, shortly after setting sail from the Netherlands to Jakarta. The ship was wrecked during a snowstorm and became stranded on the sandbar at Goodwin Sands. Numerous lives were lost: more than 270 people died.

The wreck is situated about 82 feet beneath the water's surface. It was first detected in 2004, but underwater exploration only started in 2017.

Recently, salvage teams managed to recover part of the ship's equipment and valuable items. Among these were silver coins and engraved weapons. Footage from the underwater operation was shared on the Historic England channel.

100 intricate sabers were retrieved from the shipwreck. Each bears an engraved pattern— a sun, moon, snakes or stars. Interestingly, none of the sabers had handles, which raises questions about whether the sabers were partially finished products waiting to be completed, or if the missing elements still lie undiscovered within the wreck.

In addition, a collection of 1846 silver coins was unearthed from the ship. Among them were pieces attributed to the Dutch East India Company, which were used for trading purposes. They were marked with the letter M, signifying that they were minted in Mexico.

Experts suggest that up to half of the silver aboard the Rooswijk was not legal cargo. Some coins had been drilled with holes, suggesting that the crew might have sewn them into their clothes — a practice that was prohibited but still widespread in those days.

Among other salvaged items were carved knife handles, thimbles, and a comb. Martijn Manders, project leader from the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency, acknowledged the challenges of studying the wreck but also spoke of its fascination.

"Thanks to our research, we now know much more about the ship, its crew and their trade. I'm thrilled that these items and their fascinating stories are finally ready to be shared with the world," he said.