Artifacts from the naval battle between Spain and England in 1718 found in Sicily
Kyiv • UNN
The remains of a ship and a cannon from the Battle of Cape Passaro between the English and Spanish fleets were discovered near Syracuse. The finds reveal new details about this important maritime event.
The cannon and the ship's rudder refer to the battle between the English and Spanish fleets in the 18th century near Sicily.
UNN reports with reference to Ansa.
Details
In the area of the city of Syracuse, one of the largest ports of the Ionian Sea, researchers found the remains of a wooden ship and an iron cannon, which most likely belong to a naval battle in the Mediterranean Sea, which took place off the coast of Sicily on August 11, 1718 - the so-called Battle of Cape Passaro between the English and Spanish fleets.
The results open new scenarios regarding the military event in which Sicily and its sea once again became the main actors - says the regional councilor for cultural heritage and Sicilian identity Francesco Paolo Scarpinato.
As you know, the Battle of Passaro ended in a crushing defeat for the Spaniards under the command of Admirals Castaneta and Chakon. Most of the Spanish fleet was captured or sunk; the British fleet suffered significantly fewer losses, according to historical data.
Regarding the findings:
We are talking about a rudder made of wood and covered with a nailed metal sheet, almost five meters long and weighing about 800 kilograms. Probably, the device for maintaining the selected course of the ship belonged to a large wooden ship.
We are also talking about an iron cannon, which is almost 2.5 meters long and is located at a depth of 49 meters; various structural details (breech, button, muzzle brakes, reinforcing rings) date it to the 16th-18th centuries.
Let us remind you
Archaeologists have discovered traces of a 3600-year-old Bronze Age ship that was carrying copper ingots and sank off the coast of Turkey in the 16th century BC.
