A study published Tuesday detailed the incredible discovery of a medieval shipwreck off the coast of Great Britain, hinting at what life must have been like for our ancestors.
Few ships built between the 10th and 15th centuries A.D. have ever been found in English waters, which makes the discovery of a wreck dating to around 1250, along with its cargo, a pretty stunning find, as detailed in a study published by Cambridge University Press. The ship was carrying a load of Purbeck stone, a type of marble often used in the construction of religious centers like Salisbury Cathedral.
“While the loss of the ship would have been devastating at the time, today the Mortar Wreck provides a single-context archaeological site containing a cross-section of daily life, trade and technology—a unique opportunity to investigate a key period in European history,” the authors wrote in the study, noting that this time period is often overlooked by scholars.
Shipwreck highlights medieval England’s lucrative trade in valuable stone – @AntiquityJ @physorg_com https://t.co/gfjIglG8yw
— Jerome OLLIER (@JeromeOLLIER) August 13, 2024
Aside from the political goings on of Edward I and King John, the period was relatively peaceful by most standards, allowing British industries to boom. Salisbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey were constructed and built upon within the period, according to the authors. (RELATED: Father-Daughter Duo Makes Incredible Historical Discovery During Fishing Trip)
Ships or boats were the main means of transporting goods around the British Isles at the time, suggesting that this ship was bringing the Purbeck stone before wrecking in Poole Bay on the western edge of Poole Harbor. “The ship may have been travelling to a large construction project, or specialist workshops in London, where the polishing of the stone could take place. This indicates large, multi-stage trading networks existed in England facilitating the distribution of Purbeck stone,” the authors told Heritage Daily.
“Shipwrecks are an important archaeological resource; they form a single-context site and, as such, they are often described as time capsules,” the authors wrote in the study. In addition to the marble, they noted other finds, including cooking vessels presumably used by the crew.
SALISBURY, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 02: The sun sets on Salisbury Cathedral, on October 02, 2022 in Salisbury, England. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – JUNE 09: General views of Westminster Abbey on June 09, 2024 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
The wreck partially lends to the understanding of Great Britain’s stealthy success in becoming a financial and political superpower throughout the last millennia. During times of relative peace, civilizations thrive. It is only when introduced to chaos, crisis and stupid ideas about sociological control that we falter. So, perhaps we use this discovery as a reason to start praying for the kind of peace that’ll allow us to create some of the greatest monuments in history. Just an idea.
