History of Mozambique

O "Naufrágio do galeão grande São João" é o primeiro relato da História Trágico-Marítima, publicada em 1735, e do desastre ocorrido em 1552. O relato conhecido como "Naufrágio de Sepúlveda" é o mais famoso entre todos os relatos de naufrágios. Contudo, devido à existência de um manuscrito e de diversas edições, o que conhecemos é resultado de várias alterações ao longo do tempo. Neste trabalho, através da análise comparativa do manuscrito e de sete versões publicadas, tenciona-se esclarecer como a narrativa foi modificada ao longo das edições.

The Schimmelmann, a Danish East Indiaman, was reported lost on 24th of April 1781, off the Islands of Cape Verde and rescue recovered by Arqueonautas in 1999.
This vessel was a 1400-ton Danish East Indiaman, under the command of Earl Ernest Schimmelmann, believed to be outward bound from Denmark to China, with a cargo of 114 iron guns and Swedish plate money. The Schimmelmann was one of the largest ships afloat. The crew was saved. Many timbers and fittings were removed and sold to Fr. Francisco, Bishop of Cape Verde, for use in the construction of a new church on Maio.

The archaeological excavation and subsequent study of the copper Plate Money from the “Grev Ernst Schimmelmann” wreck is the result of the combined effort of a large group of specialists. Working in the Cape Verde Archipelago, with a multinational team and carrying out research on artefacts which were unknown at that time to most of us, posed quite peculiar hurdles to overcome. Although this publication wouldn’t exist without their hard work, mentioning them all here would be impossible.

The shipwreck code-named IDM-003 was found in Cabeceira reef, Ilha de Moçambique, in the Province of Nampula, Republic of Mozambique, in 2001 during a systematic archaeological survey of the area. It has been tentatively identified as the Nossa Senhora da Consolação, a Portuguese Indiaman, lost at this location on July, 1608 during the Dutch siege to the island. The archaeological excavation of this wreck provided a collection of artefacts from the late 16 th and the early 17 th centuries giving us a glimpse of life on board those ships. A part of the wood structure survived allowing for the study of 16 th century Portuguese naval architecture. The evidence suggests that IDM-003 was a typical Portuguese Indiaman, similar to those described in Portuguese 16 th century ship treaties, with a keel of around 27.7 m and an overall length of nearly 40 m.

By the end of the 18th century, Nossa Senhora de Madre de Deus
was one of the largest and most impressive man-of-war from the
Portuguese Navy fleet.
For two years she did several trading voyages to India until tragically
she was lost on the Mozambique coast in 1802.
During the 2007 season the Arqueonautas team carried out survey
operations in the Mogincual reef. Following some leads given by local
fishermen the wreck site code named MOG-001 was found during a
systematic non-intrusive survey.

Objectives to carry out extensive electronic surveys over areas with a high probability of wreck material around Ilha de Mocambique, including the Banco do Sul, the Banco de San Lourenco, the Banco do Norte and areas around the island of Goa. The primary objective being locate and map for investigation any magnetic anomalies.

The following operations were conducted:
MOG-003 (possibly Almiranta São Jose, 1622):
- Excavation status (approx) 20%
IDM-003 (possibly Nossa Senhora da Consolação, 1608):
- Excavation status (approx) 40%
IDM-017 (possibly Capitana Santa Teresa, 1622):
- Reconnaissance

Survey and Reconnaissance Operations from 08/09/2003 to 08/12/2004 produced the following results:
Silva shoal New wreck found ANG-005
Moma island New wreck found ANG-002
Caldeira island New wreck found ANG-003
Mafamede island New wreck found ANG-001
Santo Antonio shoal New wreck found ANG-004
Infusse shoal New wreck found MOG-002
Ilha de Moçambique New wreck found IDM-011
Crusse island New wreck found NAC-001
Cabeceira Pequena New wreck found IDM-012
Cabeceira Pequena New wreck found IDM-013
South edge of the Channel New wreck found IDM-014
Leven bank New wreck found IDM-015
South edge of the Channel New wreck found IDM-016
Nivula Shoal New wreck found IDM-017
Cabeceira Pequena Reef New wreck found IDM-018
Infusse shoal New wreck found MOG-003
Quissimajulo New wreck found NAC-002
Pinda bank New wreck found NAC-003
Pinda bank New wreck found NAC-004
Pinda bank New wreck found NAC-005
Pinda bank New wreck found NAC-006
Pinda bank New wreck found NAC-007
Vadiazi Reef New wreck found CAD-001

The San Miguel e Almas Santas of 1771, a Portuguese Patache taken at Sunda (Sunda Strait) during the conquest of Piró in 1752, was lost South of the Fernão Veloso Bay, Nacala area, Nampula Province, Mozambique on its annual journey from India.

As part of our marine archaeological project in the province of Nampula we have scheduled visits to various wreck sites discovered and assessed by our company in the past, in order to monitor their current state of conservation. This site, NAC-002 was originally found on the 13 th of October 2004, during the visual survey of Quissimajulo Bay.

Santa Teresa de Jesus (1622) / IDM-017 … The Anglo-Dutch fleet decided to chase the Santa Teresa and the São Carlos. In a merciless pursuit it followed them up to the entry to the Isle of Mozambique. There, fearing the firepower of São Sebastião fort, they decided to turn back and safely plunder the spoils of the São José.

The shipwreck codenamed MOG-003 was found in Infusse reef, Mogincual, in the Province of Nampula, Republic of Mozambique, in 2004 during a magnetometer survey of the area. It has been identified as the São José, a Portuguese Indiaman vice-flagship (Almiranta) from the 1622 fleet en route from Lisbon to Goa, India, lost at this location on the 24 th of July of 1622 during a battle against the Anglo-Dutch fleet.

The objective of this archaeological survey in the waters around Ilha de
Moçambique was to locate, survey and record known and unknown wreck sites or areas with cultural material within the limits of our concession area and evaluate their cultural and archaeological potential. Priority was given to areas where research into historic documents, information from local fishermen and dangerous reefs suggests that ships’ accidents occurred in the past.
The following operations were conducted:
IDM-001 Test sondages (to be continued)
ANG-005 Survey, Reconnaissance, trial excavation
ANG-002 Survey, Reconnaissance, trial excavation
ANG-003 Survey, Reconnaissance, trial excavation

Intermediate Report on Underwater Archaeological Excavation in Mogincual and Survey and Reconnaissance off the Island of Mozambique, from April to November 2007:
- MOG-003 (possibly Almiranta São Jose, 1622):
Excavation status (approx) 80%
- MOG-001 (possibly NªSª Madre Deus e São Jose, 1802):
Not excavated, only test sondages
- IDM-007 (Unidentified ship of circa 1600):
Not excavated, only test sondages
- Channel Ilha de Moçambique (New wreck found IDM-019)
- Lunga Bay (New wreck found MOG-004)
- Lunga Bay (New wreck found MOG-005)
- Channel Ilha de Moçambique (Known wreck assessed IDM-016)
- Channel Ilha de Moçambique (Known wreck assessed IDM-008)

The objective of this archaeological survey in the waters around Ilha de
Moçambique was to locate, survey and record known and unknown wreck sites or areas with cultural material within the limits of our concession area and evaluate their cultural and archaeological potential. Priority was given to areas where research into historic documents, information from local fishermen and dangerous reefs suggests that ships’ accidents occurred in the past.

Silva shoal (New wreck found ANG-005)
Moma island (New wreck found ANG-002)
Caldeira island (New wreck found ANG-003)
Mafamede island (New wreck found ANG-001)
Santo Antonio shoal (New wreck found ANG-004)
Mucalanga shoal (Known wreck assessed MOG-001)
Infusse shoal (New wreck found MOG-002)
Ilha de Moçambique (Known wrecks assessed IDM-003 and IDM-007)
Ilha de Moçambique  (New wreck found IDM-011)
Crusse island (New wreck found NAC-001)

The objective of this archaeological survey in the waters around Ilha de
Moçambique was to locate, survey and record known and unknown wreck sites or areas with cultural material within the limits of our concession area and evaluate their cultural and archaeological potential. Priority was given to areas where research into historic documents, information from local fishermen and dangerous reefs suggests that ships’ accidents occurred in the past.
In 2001 the survey results achieved were as follows:
West end of S. Sebastião fortress (New wreck found IDM-001)
East end of S. Sebastião fortress (New wreck found IDM-002)
North edge of the Channel (New wreck found IDM-003)
Front of Centro Nautico (New wreck found IDM-004)
Front of Centro Nautico (New wreck found IDM-005)
Cabeceira Pequena reef (New wreck found IDM-006)