For nearly three decades, divers and researchers were unable to identify a shipwreck discovered in 1995 near Salcombe, Devon, England. The mystery has now been solved: the wreck is that of the Dom van Keulen, a Dutch merchant vessel that sank during a violent storm in the 17th century.
The key to the identification was a hoard of Moroccan gold coins found at the site. These coins, minted under the Saadian dynasty, provided a crucial link to the ship's trading route and period of operation. The Dom van Keulen was known to have been carrying such cargo when it was lost.
Archaeologists from the South West Maritime Archaeology Group and the British Museum collaborated on the analysis. The coins, along with other artifacts like pottery and navigational instruments, confirmed the ship's identity and its Dutch origin. The wreck is now protected under the UK's Protection of Wrecks Act.
