Gold Coins Unlock 30-Year-Old Maritime Mystery

British scientists have finally shed light on a maritime disaster that remained a mystery for nearly 30 years. Researchers determined that the wreckage found in 1995 near the southern coast of England belongs to the Dutch merchant ship named Dom van Keulen .

At that time, divers found more than 400 Moroccan gold coinsfrom the seabed, but the ship's name and origin had remained unknown. According to new research, the ship sank after taking on water while traveling from Morocco to the Netherlands in 1633 . All crew members survived.

The study British Museum, Bournemouth University and South West Maritime Archaeology Group was the result of nearly 30 years of cooperation between scientists and divers. This is also detailed in the recently published book "From Morocco to the Coast of England: The Story of the Dom van Keulen and its Remarkable Cargo" .

It turned out that the ship carried 150 bags of gum arabic, 64 bags of saltpeter, 320 goat skins and 9,000 Moroccan gold coins. Scientists believe that a large part of the cargo was salvaged at the time, but more than 400 coins remained on the seabed.

The authors of the study emphasized that the Moroccan gold coins played a decisive role in identifying the ship. They also noted that years of cooperation between international museum experts and divers made it possible to find a "remarkable solution" to this historical puzzle.

Experts believe this discovery once again proves that many valuable secrets regarding human history are still hidden at the bottom of the seas.