Type
Isolated find
Chronology
No information
Location
Near Pedra Norte de João Pereira
State or region
Paraíba
Description
03 Dutch bells; the founder of two of them was Henrick Wegeaert, having been cast in the years 1612 and 1613; one of the bells has no inscription; the bells are solid bronze, contain little copper, a high amount of tin, and some indication of the presence of lead.
Notes
According to Luiz Octávio Castro Cunha, archaeologist at the Museu Naval e Oceanográfico, in a letter addressed to Gustavo Adelino, [he] stated that the founder's name Henrick Wegeaert was a known name in the museum's investigations, being responsible for casting several bronze cannons "rescued from the seabed". In the same letter, the archaeologist proposes the hypothesis that the bells belonged to a type of vessel called a fleuten, which, being fast sailboats, had greater maneuverability, causing great losses to the Portuguese fleet for many years. Hypothetically, this vessel belonged to the Dutch fleet, which withdrew from Bahia in 1625 after being defeated by the Luso-Spanish fleet, heading north along the coast, aiming to return to the Netherlands. The vessel's hull was not located.
Source(s)
Interview conducted with Gustavo Adelino, responsible for locating the bells. Photographs of the bells. Copy of the documentation issued by the Marinha do Brazil about the studies carried out on the bells.
Site Environment
Maritime
Integrity Level
Residual
Coordinates
06°52'S and 034°50'W
Depth
<3m
