Post by UKarchaeology on Apr 4, 2016 19:42:35 GMT
Vasco da Gama’s Esmeralda’s remains traced
ANAJI: The finding of a ghost coin among thousands of artifacts in the long-lost Portuguese ship Esmeralda, off Oman coast is likely to enthuse historians and others, as it was commissioned by Portugal's King Manuel I for trade with India around the 15th century.
The wreck of an unknown ship located in 1998 by scuba divers near Hallaniyah Island off the Oman coast has been recently confirmed as one of the ship of famed Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama's fleet after 18 years of research and exploration.
Deemed as one of the most interesting finds of this expedition, the Indio silver coin was commissioned by King Manuel I of Portugal for trade with India. This rare piece of treasure has been dubbed by historians as the ghost coin.
It is said that there are only two surviving Indio or ghost coins of Manuel, one of which has been discovered from the ship wreck of Esmeralda. "I was the lucky soul who found this coin and it was the Portuguese numismatist Antonio Trigueiros who first identified the coin as the Indio," informed marine archeologist, David Mearns in an exclusive interview with TOI.
The discovery of famed Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama's long-lost ship Esmeralda in the depths of the sea off the Oman coast has therefore turned a new chapter in the pages of history.
Full story: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Vasco-da-Gamas-Esmeraldas-remains-traced/articleshow/51684425.cms