Open AccessA Portuguese East Indiaman from the 1502–1503 Fleet of Vasco da Gama off Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman: an interim report
Author(s) -
Mearns David L.,
Parham David,
Frohlich Bruno
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of nautical archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.357
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 1095-9270
pISSN - 1057-2414
DOI - 10.1111/1095-9270.12175
Subject(s) - portuguese , humanities , history , ancient history , geography , art , philosophy , linguistics
Two Portuguese naus from Vasco da Gama's second voyage to India, left behind to disrupt maritime trade between India and the Red Sea, were wrecked in May 1503 off the north‐eastern coast of Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman. The ships, Esmeralda and São Pedro , had been commanded by da Gama's maternal uncles, Vicente and Brás Sodré, respectively. A detailed study and scientific analysis of an artefact assemblage recovered during archaeological excavations conducted in Al Hallaniyah in 2013 and 2014 confirms the location of an early 16th‐century Portuguese wreck‐site, initially discovered in 1998. Esmeralda is proposed as the probable source of the remaining, un‐salved wreckage.