The Government declared this Wednesday as a ‘Protected Archaeological Area of the Nation’ the area where the Spanish galleon San José lies, sunk by English privateers on June 8, 1708.
The galleon, found in 2015 at a depth of more than 600 meters off the coast of Cartagena de Indias, is now officially recognized as a protected space by the Colombian State for its conservation and research.
“It is the first time that an area of archaeological heritage submerged at such a depth has been declared, it is historic in Latin America. We already have the special underwater archaeological management plan,” announced the Minister of Cultures of Colombia, Juan David Correa, during the presentation of the scientific research of the San José galleon.
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The general director of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (Icanh), Alhena Caicedo, explained that this decision seeks to guarantee the conservation and research of the wreck in the Caribbean Sea. “We recognize that there is a space that will be protected by the Colombian State,” said Caicedo.
Research Project ‘Towards the Heart of the San José Galleon’
With the declaration, the Government began phase one of the research project ‘Towards the heart of the San José galleon’. This project aims to study the shipwreck and value it as an important part of Colombia’s history.
Besides, Minister Correa He highlighted that this milestone protects a polygon in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, covering archaeological evidence of the shipwreck of the San José galleon.
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Minister Correa emphasized that for the Colombian Government, the site does not represent a treasure with economic value, but rather has immense cultural value. “This is not an extraction mission for economic value. We want to leave Colombia the possibility of a scientific-cultural mission that will have several stages and that begins today,” Correa stated.
Last February, the Government presented in Cartagena de Indias the roadmap for the exploration of the ship, which includes an expedition this year to the wreck to extract some objects from the shipwreck for study.
It is expected that the first concrete results of this initiative will be obtained at the end of 2024. This project is led by the Ministry of Cultures with the support of the National Navy.
History and International Disputes
The San José, belonging to the Spanish Navy, was sunk by a fleet of English privateers in 1708, while en route to Cartagena de Indias loaded with approximately 11 million gold and silver coins.
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After the announcement of the discovery of the wreck, disputes arose between Colombia and Spain over the ownership of the galleon. Spain argues that, since it is “a state ship” with its flag, it is protected by UNESCO regulations to claim its ownership.
However, the Colombian Government, which declared the San José as an “asset of submerged cultural interest,” does not rule out collaboration with Spain to treat the wreck as shared heritage.
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This declaration marks an important advance in the protection of submerged cultural heritage and opens new opportunities for research and conservation of the maritime history of Colombia and the world.
With information from EFE.
