A 15th-century ship appears in the Ciutadella

BarcelonaOne of the piles being built for the future BSM parking lot in Barcelona's Ciutadella district came across something unusual: a blackened wooden skeleton. When archaeologists began excavating less than two weeks ago, they found the side of a boat that had sunk between the 15th and 16th centuries. The wreckage revealed almost intact pine cones, as well as seeds from hazelnut trees and other fruit trees. The remains, which once uncovered must be constantly soaked with sponges, paintbrushes, and rags soaked in salt water, may help explain one of the most fascinating aspects of Barcelona's history: its relationship with the sea.

For the moment, the wreck, which practically has to be covered all the time to avoid losing moisture, has been christened Ciutadella I. Over the centuries, thanks to the groundwater, the Ciutadella I has preserved 10 meters in length and more than 3 meters in length and more than 3 meters in length of lining and the rows of wood that covered the exterior of the hull. In the next few days, the wreck, in a process that will take between two and three weeks, will leave the parking lot. The wood will be placed in small pools and from there they will be moved to the Collection Center of the Barcelona History Museum of the Zona Franca, where they will be restored.

"The ship didn't sink where we found it. A storm probably dragged it here. Resin samples will give us clues as to where it was caulked, and we'll be able to know where it came from," explains Santi Palacios, the archaeologist in charge of the excavation. "Nearby, we found wooden pistons and a lot of organic matter, which could indicate that they had cleaned the ship and removed all the excess they didn't need," he adds. The team hasn't yet finished excavating the site, which covers an area of approximately 7,000 m². About 10%-15% of the space remains, and he doesn't rule out finding other archaeological remains.

A sandbar to protect ships

At the time it sank, there was a lot of activity on the Barcelona coast. At the beginning of the 15th century, there was no artificial harbor in Barcelona, ​​​​only a sandbar. Known as the Tarea, various archaeological excavations and sediment studies have shed light on what it looked like. This sandbar, according to some geotechnical surveys, originated in an area near what is now Ciutadella Park. One of the few descriptions we have is the chronicle of a Genoese merchant, Antonio Gallo, who came to Barcelona in 1466 to commemorate a retaliatory attack by a Genoese band. In the end, no fighting took place, but Gallo described what the Tarea looked like and how far it was from the beach.

Shortly before the Genoese arrived in 1439, the Barcelona authorities proposed building a stone pier to better protect ships from storms and to ensure better conditions, as ships were increasingly draughty. At that time, merchants from all over the city were landing: from Greece, Pisa, Genoa, Alexandria, the land of Israel, Africa... and it was growing rapidly with new social classes, new trades, a new elite... Unfortunately, the pier ended in failure, because it didn't end in failure, because there was no failure. In 1477, a breakwater measuring more than 100 meters long by 15 meters wide was built. This time it was a success, and it is well documented because archaeological remains were found near what is now the Estacion de Francia station during the 2006-2008 excavations.

The Ciutadella I ship must have sunk when this last breakwater already existed. However, for some reason, the wreck wasn't anchored there but on the sandy bar. The exceptional feature isn't just the remains but also the context, because everything archaeologists find can help understand and document port activity in this area at that time. Archaeologist Miguel Soberón, who has thoroughly studied the history of the Barcelona coastline, estimates that the wreck must have measured about 30 meters in length. "Until the 17th or 18th century, the same ships could be used to transport goods and for war, but in that case it was certainly a cargo ship," he says. "It's an exceptional find," Palacios emphasizes. In 2008, another ship from the same period was discovered near the Estacion de Francia station. Barceloneta I, dating back to the 15th century, the remains of which can currently be seen in the Barcelona History Museum.

The BSM parking lot works are part of a future research complex to be developed by the CSIC, the UPF, and the PRBB. The excavation has recovered 40,000 cubic meters of sand from the subsoil, which will be used to regenerate San Sebastián beach.