Sunken fleets near Gibraltar reveal 1,000-year history, naval myths

Turkiye Today ^ | April 15, 2026 | Newsroom

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Spanish archaeologists have documented over 30 shipwrecks in the waters between the Rock of Gibraltar and the port of Algeciras.

This discovery follows a three-year study titled Project Herakles. Led by the University of Cádiz, the team identified 151 archaeological sites and 134 total wrecks, according to The Guardian...

The researchers worked with colleagues from the University of Granada to document 34 specific wrecks.

These vessels represent a diverse array of eras and cultures:

Punic era: One ship dating back to the fifth century B.C.

Roman period: 23 Roman ships and two late Roman ships.

Medieval period: Four vessels, including three that may clarify seafaring practices during Islamic rule in southern Spain.

Early modern period: 24 ships from several nations, including British, Spanish, Venetian, and Dutch vessels.

Felipe Cerezo Andreo, a professor of archaeology at the University of Cadiz, led the investigation and described the area as a historical bottleneck.

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TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: algeciras; ancientnavigation; carthaginians; gibraltar; godsgravesglyphs; middleages; projectherakles; shipwreck; shipwrecks

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Archaeologists examine the wreck of a 17th-century Spanish vessel, the Puente Mayorga II, April 15, 2026.

Courtesy of Alejandro Mañas

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Thanks for the link!

[SunkenCiv]

• The Herakles project: Towards a minimum intervention methodology for the of Underwater Cultural Heritage in harbour complex spaces | APCONF-Much Proceedings | PDF