哥伦比亚政府开始了对18世纪西班牙大帆船圣何塞号的重大勘探项目，该大帆船也被称为“沉船圣杯”。

这次行动标志着发掘和保存历史上最有价值的沉船之一的广泛努力的开始，据信这艘沉船蕴藏着价值160亿英镑(200亿美元)的宝藏。

文化部长胡安·大卫·科雷亚称这次探险是前所未有的。

它将使用远程传感器和水下机器人来描绘该遗址的特征，并编制一份考古物品清单。

1708年，作为西班牙和英国之间战斗的一部分，英国皇家海军在哥伦比亚卡塔赫纳海岸击沉了圣何塞号。

这艘大帆船载有大量的黄金、白银和祖母绿，旨在为西班牙的战争提供资金，600多名船员在袭击中丧生。

这艘沉船于2015年被发现，位于水面以下2000多英尺(约合3000米)处，人类潜水员无法进入，而且里面的东西也不会被抢掠者发现。

自2015年哥伦比亚发现以来，所有权一直存在法律挑战。

西班牙、美国海上搜寻舰队(Sea Search Armada)打捞公司以及挖掘宝藏的原住民后裔都提出了索赔。

尽管存在这些分歧，哥伦比亚政府还是将该遗址指定为考古保护区进行保护。

项目的第一步被称为“鉴定阶段”，包括用遥控潜水器追踪残骸和收集数据。

这一阶段的目的是在不干扰船只的情况下清点船上的物品并确定沉船的状况。

哥伦比亚人类学和历史研究所表示，这一初始阶段的发现将决定未来的活动。

今年2月，政府拨出4500万美元用于勘探。

机器人设备已经发现了散落在海底的硬币和其他物品的照片。

计划可能包括从沉船中取出某些物品进行调查，以确定进一步恢复和保存的最佳方法。

沉船的位置仍被严密保护，以避免未经授权的人进入。

2022年上任的总统古斯塔沃·佩特罗(Gustavo Petro)已宣布希望打捞这些宝藏，并正在接受商业打捞企业的建议，其中可能包括在深水项目方面有经验的美国或欧洲公司。

尽管有争议的指控，哥伦比亚政府表示，在早期阶段没有计划进行大规模的挖掘。

科雷亚部长表示，重点仍然是该遗址的科学和遗产价值，代表团试图“要求对大帆船残骸进行估价的遗产元素”。

这一努力是海洋考古学的一个突破性时刻，也是理解和保护哥伦比亚乃至全球历史重要组成部分的关键一步。

▲Screengrab from YouTube video posted by The Telegraph

英文原文

The Columbian Government began a significant exploration project of the 18th-century Spanish galleon San José, also known as the “holy grail of shipwrecks.”

The operation marked the beginning of an extensive effort to uncover and preserve one of the most valuable shipwrecks in history, which is believed to contain £16 Billion ($20 Billion) in treasure.

Culture Minister Juan David Correa described the expedition as unprecedented.

It would use remote sensors and underwater robots to characterize the site and compile an inventory of archaeological objects.

The British Royal Navy sank the San José off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, in 1708 as part of a battle between Spain and Britain.

The galleon was carrying a large cargo of gold, silver, and emeralds intended to fund the Spanish war effort, and over 600 crew members were killed in the attack.

The wreck, discovered in 2015, is more than 2,000 feet below the su***ce, making it inaccessible to human divers and keeping its contents safe from looters.

Since Colombia’s discovery in 2015, there have been legal challenges regarding ownership.

Spain, the US salvage company Sea Search Armada, and descendants of the indigenous people who mined the treasures have all filed claims.

Despite these disagreements, the Colombian government designated the site as a protected archaeological area to preserve it.

The project’s initial step, known as the “characterization phase,” involves tracing the debris and gathering data with remote-controlled submersibles.

This phase aims to inventory the ship’s contents and determine the wreck’s condition without disturbing it.

According to the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, the findings from this initial phase will decide future activities.

The government set aside $45 million in February to fund the exploration.

Robotic equipment has already revealed photographs of coins and other items spread throughout the sea floor.

Plans may include removing certain items from the wreck for investigation to determine the best ways for further recovery and preservation.

The wreck’s location is still closely guarded to avoid unauthorized access.

President Gustavo Petro, who took office in 2022, has declared a desire to recover the treasures and is accepting proposals from commercial salvage businesses, maybe including US or European firms with experience in deep-water projects.

Despite the controversial allegations, the Colombian government has stated that no large-scale excavations are planned in the early stages.

The focus remains on the site’s scientific and heritage value, with the mission trying to “claim the heritage elements for which the remains of the galleon should be valued,” according to Minister Correa.

This effort is a breakthrough moment in maritime archaeology and a critical step toward understanding and conserving an essential piece of Colombian and global history.

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