Marine Archaeology

New dives funded by Historic England have revealed that the wreck of the 18th-century warship Northumberland, lost during the Great Storm of 1703, is far more intact than previously thought. The wreck, a Protected Site since 1981, lies in shallow waters off the Kent coast and is now confirmed to include multiple wooden decks, intact chests, and coils of rope—rare organic materials that have survived three centuries thanks to burial under seabed sediments.

A ground-breaking project launched in 2022 has revealed 31 previously unknown shipwrecks lying on the bed of Lake Constance (Bodensee), offering a rare glimpse into the region’s maritime history. Using advanced mapping and robotic explorations, researchers have begun to uncover centuries of trading, travel and even wartime loss beneath the waters of this Alpine lake. 

In an extraordinary archaeological discovery, the remains of a 16th-century Portuguese ship, along with a treasure trove of gold coins and navigational instruments, have been unearthed in the Namibian desert. The wreck was first discovered in 2008 by diamond miners working along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. While excavating the area, part of the ship’s hull and numerous artefacts came to light, including bronze cannons, navigational tools and over 2,000 gold coins, primarily Portuguese cruzados and Spanish excelentes.

Discovery near Pozzuoli

The temple lies near Pozzuoli, in the volcanic Campi Flegrei region, about 16km (10 miles) east of Naples. Known in Roman times as Puteoli, the city was a bustling harbor where ships brought trade goods like grain from across the Roman Empire. Over the centuries, volcanic activity altered the coastline, submerging the ancient port district. By the 18th century, artefacts retrieved from the area hinted at a buried temple, though its precise location remained unknown.

Hidden beneath the serene waters of The Bahamas lay the remnants of approximately 5,000 shipwrecks, entombed for centuries. These relics are finally seeing the light of day, thanks to an innovative project called The Bahamas Lost Ships Project, kickstarted in 2023 by Allen Exploration and In Search of Shipwrecks (ISOS).

176 shipwrecks traced

The project has shed light on the maritime heritage of The Bahamas, particularly along the eastern flank of the Straits of Florida, a maritime corridor frequented since the 15th century.

The project will promote underwater cultural assets and target tourism development by using a multidisciplinary approach to present and document the shipwrecks, navigation routes, harbours, anchorages, and other archaeological sites along the Montenegrin coast.

In the new six-part podcast, Into the Depths, Roberts tells of her time with a group of Black divers whose mission is to locate and help document the wrecks.